With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies
by cendella
Summary: As Jack and Allison settle into their relationship, Tess finally is made aware that they are together. My first story ever. Please review.
1. The Calm Before the Storm

**I do not own EUReKA, but if I did it would never go off the air.**

**This is my first attempt at writing fan fiction. I am so inspired by the stories that I have read and some of my favorite Authors, that I felt brave enough put mine up on the board. Right off the bat you must know that Jack and Allison are my favorite characters and the majority of my stories will be about them. That is if anybody likes this one. Please review for me. You can be honest as I am trying to better myself, but don't make me cry. I wanted to write this one because they have not touched on the fact that Tess is made aware of Jack and Allison's relationship. I thought it strange that they never mention her name being that Allison is still very close friends with her. As the title suggests, this isn't going to go smoothly. Enjoy. **

**Rated M for Mature. **

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 1: The Calm Before the Storm

Jack and Allison had settled into their own little routine. Once a week she would spend the night over at Jack's place and he in turn would usually stay over at hers on Saturday nights. This is the night Kevin usually would sleep over at his best friend Dre's house. Though both realized that Kevin was old enough and intelligent enough to understand what was going on, Jack still didn't feel completely comfortable with the fact that Kevin knew what he did to his mom on the nights he slept over. Jack didn't have the nerve to ask Kevin how he felt about him staying over. For now this seemed easier. Jack knew as a teenager he never wanted to even entertain the idea of his parents having sex. He could only imagine how Kevin felt.

Jack had know Kevin for the past four years and was someone that the young man looked up too. He knew that Kevin felt like he was a big brother to him, and initially Kevin was resistant to the idea of Jack dating his mom. Fortunately he had come around, and Jack felt that Kevin was extremely pleased that he made him mom happy after so much heartache. So while he and Allison were finally settling into this stage of their relationship, they wanted to make the situation as easy as possible for their kid's sake.

This particular Saturday morning they took the opportunity to lounge in bed. Dre's parents were taking the boys on an outing today and Jenna thankfully was sleeping in a little late herself. As the sun was forcing its way through the curtains, Allison snuggled a little closer to Jack. He grinned and looked down to Allison who was laying right beneath his chin and let out a snicker.

"Hey there beautiful." Jack lifted his arm from where it was resting on her back and stroked her hair.

"Umm, hey yourself." Allison purred as she looked up and into his intensely blue eyes.

Allison lowered her head back to its resting place and tightened her grip around his waist. "I never want to leave this spot."

Jack kissed the top of her head. "Believe me, if I could I'd never let you go.

Jack was amazed at how beautiful she looked in the morning, fresh faced and innocent. Deep brown eyes sparking like the nighttime sky. He still reveled in the fact that he was really here with her.

"What do you want to do today Baby?"

"Well I was thinking maybe we could get Vincent to pack up a lunch for us and then take Jenna to the lake for a picnic. I want to enjoy the nice weather while we still can. We can just play it by ear after that. Kevin should be home by dinnertime, so he'll probably want to order pizza and watch a movie."

"Sounds good to me." Pizza always sounded good to Jack, as well as beer, burgers and fries. Allison wondered how he stayed in such great shape considering the junk he liked to eat. He certainly wasn't a gym rat but did enjoy running. Plus with all the craziness he had to handle around Eureka, she was sure his metabolism was revved up to the hilt.

Allison released her grip from Jack's waist and moved to get up. Jack grabbed ahold of her wrist just as her feet hit the floor. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Well, we eventually have to get out of bed. You know Jenna will be up soon."

"Yeah...soon. But not yet." Jack said with raised brow, a look of mischief in his eyes.

Allison gave him a flirty smile, parted her lips and suggestively licked her tongue across her teeth. This too had become a part of their morning routine. She looked at him with obvious lust in her eyes and crawled back over and draped her body across his. Jack raised his head and took Allison's lower lip between his teeth and gently tugged at it. His hands running up and down the smooth satin of her teddy, caressing her from her shoulder blades to her supple round bottom.

"You have got to have the sexiest ass in the world." he said while making a low guttural growl.

"Oh Jack, you say the sweetest things." she replied, playfully batting her eyes.

Allison raised up and positioned herself so that she sat astride him as Jack moved his hands up and down her flanks. He greedily eyed her as she ran her fingers over his strong arms. Allison took this as her cue to remove her nightgown.

When they spent the night at his house they usually went au natural, but here, Jenna would awake in the middle of the night and Allison always had something on so that she could tend to her as soon as possible.

Allison moved her hands from his muscular arms and crossed them at her hips and lifted the nightgown over her head revealing herself. Jack was amazed at how tight and toned her body was after having 2 kids. He immediately felt him member tighten and throb at the thought of being inside of her. Knowing when he looked at her he could hardly keep his manhood from rising, he couldn't imagine his reaction to an 18 year old Allison. He might have exploded right on the spot. Jack reached up and placed his hands over her shapely breasts. He smiled and chuckled mentally, agreeing with Goldilocks conclusions...not to big, not too small, just right. Jack began to knead them as Allison moaned with pleasure. She loved the fact that his hands were a contradiction in terms. When needed they were strong and powerful while still being capable of performing precise and delicate maneuvers. When he touched her she felt the heat radiate throughout, as if her body was on fire.

Jack rose up off the mattress, placed a hand on the small of her back and captured one of her erect nipples in his mouth. He flicked his tongue back and forth over her puckered areola and then began to suckle her. With his free hand he gently rolled the other nipple between his forefingers. Allison felt a stir low in her abdomen and began rocking her hips back and forth in response. Jack believed in being fair so reversed his order and switched his attention to the opposite breast. Allison placed her hand at the nape of his neck grasping at his close cut hair. She gasped as he released her and moved his mouth to her collarbone.

Jack being someone who could read people extremely well made sure that he remembered every erogenous zone on Allison's body. The first time they made love he took his time and paid close attention to the sounds she made and the way her body responded as he navigated her regions. He recalled that this was one of the more sensitive areas and when he sucked on it, she became flush.

"Oh" she whimpered and grasped his head between her hands and forcefully kissed him. She slide her tongue between his lips and he allowed them to part as their tongues began sparing. And although she did enjoy the sensation of rubbing her clit against his tumescent cock, she didn't think she could take much more foreplay, "Take me" she demanded. Jack was only to happy to oblige. He moved his hands to her waist and lifted her so that he could insert himself.

"Yes...Jack...Yes!" she uttered breathlessly. Once Jack entered her the rest of the world fell away. They matched each others pace creating a steady rhythm. Allison started out slowly raising and lowering her frame on top of him as he rolled his hips in unison. The house was silent and all that could be heard in the room was the sound of her soft languid moans and his deep panting breaths.

Allison rode Jack in long rocking motions savoring every moment, enjoying the pleasure he was bringing out of her. Jack stared as her body moved, it was almost like she was dancing...graceful fluid motions, then deliberate contracted movements. Jack enjoyed everything Allison did to him. He especially enjoyed when his "Cowgirl" was on top. He took advantage of all the benefits...being able to stare at her without seeming like some creepy stalker, the ability for his hands to roam freely over her smooth caramel skin, and the fact that she was in complete control. She set the tempo and he was only to happy to let her. Her actions began to quicken and she tightened and released her muscles against his throbbing member, attempting to bring him to the height of ecstasy. Of course her ploy worked and Jack no longer settled with being the submissive.

Jack steeled his jaw and set forth with the task of making her have the most intense orgasm he could draw from her body. He gripped her at the waist, lifted her slightly and began thrusting in hard forceful upward motions. He held her hips steady while plunging deep inside, sensing the warmth and wetness with his painfully swollen member. He wanted to intensify her pleasure so he slid one hand down and began using his thumb to massage the nub of her clitoris. Allison shuddered and arched her back, allowing her long silky brown hair to toss back and forth. She had to admit to herself that he must be some kind of magician. It seemed that his hands were everywhere at once...moving all over her body. In what appeared to be normal actions, with a sudden quickness changed and surprised her in unexpected ways.

Jack noticed that her previous extended moans of pleasure now became sharp breathless gasps. A soft sheen radiated across her trembling body creating a glow making her seem almost etherial. He knew that she was about to reach her peak and he wanted to go along for the ride, so he allowed her to take command over him. Allison bore down with her hips attempting to fill herself completely with him. She lost control as she began to crest, her creamy essence trailing down his shaft. She cried out as she collapsed onto him, her face nuzzling the side of his neck, all the while Jack still moving gently inside her.

He tenderly rolled her onto her back ready to release his own spirit. She spread her legs invitingly and wrapped them around his hips wanting to bring him to the height of ecstasy. He pumped inside of her with an erratic frenzied force, his muscles clenched with desire. He brought himself to his knees, lowered his hands beneath her hips and angled them up just as he reached the pinnacle. She clawed at his shoulders with her blunt nails sending shivers down his spine.

"I love you" she whispered, and with these three little words, she broke him. She grabbed his head and brought his mouth to hers, swallowing his stifling roar. He raised his head and looked into his eyes and saw reflected the same emotions he had been feeling...the deep adoration, the burning desire, and the sheer joy of being with the one you loved.

Jack straightened his body and they lay down facing each other, their breathing returning to normal. Jack moved his hand to her cheek and stroked it tenderly. Gazing into her beautiful brown eyes, he gave what she considered to be her smile. The one that made her weak in the knees and simply stated "I love you too."

Just as they closed their eyes, attempting to catch a quick cap nap, an irritated squeal could be heard from the baby monitor.

And with that their day began.


	2. Blindsided

**I do not own EUReKA, but if I did it would never go off the air.**

**Rated T For Language**

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 2: Blindsided

As Tess passed the sign welcoming her back to Eureka, she was overcome with mixed emotions. She was anxious to get back to GD and show her findings to Fargo. She was also looking forward to seeing Henry, Grace, and Jo. But what most excited her was the thought of seeing Allison and the kids - she had missed them so much. She and Allison had not talked as much as she would have liked in the last few months with her being busy with her new position and Allison being occupied with the Astraeus project. But on the occasions they did speak, their conversations were a bit strained. Oh, they talked about the kids, work, and old times, but Tess felt there was always something beneath the surface. As if there was something Allison wanted to say to her but either couldn't or wouldn't.

She was also fearful...fearful of seeing him. Tess prided herself on being a strong woman, but the thought of running into Jack made her a nervous reck. What would happen once she saw him? What would she say? Was she going to break down in tears, or slap his face? She still couldn't fully understand what happened between the two of them. What at first seemed like the man she could potentially spend the rest of her life with, took a one hundred and eighty degree turn. She had noticed an immediate change in him right after Founders Day.

The night before had been nothing out of the ordinary. They came home from work, Jack made his special spaghetti for dinner, and they cuddled on the couch while watching a ball game and drinking a couple of beers. That evening they made love...well thats putting it nicely, they screwed like rabbits. It was primal, and aggressive, and the best sex she ever had. She lost all inhibitions when she was with him - not that she had many left. Afterward as they lay in the glow, they talked about nothing in particular. Tess thought to herself how content she was in this relationship. Just being with him made her feel safe and comfortable. That next morning while eating breakfast he tried to persuade her to move in with him again. Even though she knew she loved him, she was still wary about making the next step.

So two weeks later when he told her that he thinks they shouldn't move in together, well she thought he was just scared. But when he suggests that she take the job in Australia, well she was completely blindsided. The few weeks it took her to pack up and prepare her move to Australia were tense to say the least. They managed to avoid each other as much as possible. Jack, ever the good guy, did reach out to her before she left and told her that he wished her well. She told him to go to hell.

So when Tess found out she would be taking a trip back stateside, she was conflicted. Whatever happened when she saw Jack, she wouldn't let it spoil her trip. It had been well over five months since they'd seen each other and time does heal all wounds - well thats the old adage anyway. She hated to admit it but he was right about one thing though, she was happy in Australia. She enjoyed her new job, the culture and its people and had made lots of new friends. While she had not met anyone special yet, her heart was open to the possibility.

So, Tess decided that it would be a great idea to surprise her old college buddy. Allison was one of her best friends in the world and had been a great comfort to her when she and Jack broke up. She remember the night Jack broke it off with her, she immediately sought the comfort of her old friend. She knew Allison would understand what she was going through as she had also experienced her share of heartbreak - three times over to be exact. Tess was grateful that Allison had been there for her with a shoulder to cry on.

So when she rolled up to Allison's house at nine o'clock on that Saturday morning after dropping her bags off at the Inn, she was surprised to see Jack's jeep outside. Tess' immediate thought was that there was an emergency and Jack needed Allison's help to fix the problem. As someone who had lived in Eureka she could attest to the craziness that went on here. She also new that Jack and Allison were good friends. He was like a big brother to Kevin, and was Godfather to Jenna. So more than likely he probably stopped there on Saturday mornings to have a cup of coffee, talk to Kev and visit with his Goddaughter.

Tess parked her car behind Jack's and sat for a moment unsure if she should venture in. The last thing she had expected was to see him so soon. Her first thought was to run away, but how childish would that be? So she screwed up her courage, exited her rental and closed the door quietly as not to alert the inhabitants inside the house.

Tess walked up to the door intent on ringing the bell but decided to try the handle first. One thing about living in Eureka, most people didn't lock their doors and Allison in particular would only lock hers at night. Eureka had the advantage of not having to deal with your normal everyday crimes. If any outsider became aware of there crime statistics, they would probably wonder why they had a Sheriff to begin with.

Besides each house was equipped with a unique security system - state of the art to be exact. It was programmed to recognize visitors and sense the intent of the person attempting to gain access and if there intentions were honorable entry was allowed. Tess laughed as she remembered when Allison told her about the time Nathan got shocked when trying to enter her home. This was when he first came back to Eureka and attempted to let himself in without knocking. Needless to say they were not on good terms at the time.

Tess pressed down on the handle and slowly opened the door, an expression of childish glee on her face. She tiptoed in, peeked around the corner and saw Allison in the kitchen with her back towards her. Jenna, who had been previously occupied with her blocks, looked up, saw her and giggled happily. Tess smiled at her then put her finger up to shush her.

"SURPRISE!" Tess yelled.

Allison turned startled by the voice and almost dropped the coffee mug she had in her hand. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who was standing there.

"Tess? Oh my God Tess! Is...is it really you?" Allison's first thought was that she was hallucinating again. Here only indication that she was real was Jenna's jumping up and down in her play pen squealing at the sight of her.

"Al" Tess yelled as she ran over and embraced her.

Allison looked completely flabbergasted. "What...what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Australia?"

Tess did a double take. "Wow! So happy to see you too." Tess was taken aback at Allison's not so enthusiastic reaction.

"I'm sorry. I'm just surprised to see you" she giggled nervously.

Allison kept eyeing the stairs over Tess's shoulder. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Jack would be down any moment to eat breakfast and there was no way she could explain his presence and why he was coming down from her bedroom so early in the morning.

"Don't worry about it, I know you don't like surprises."

"And to answer your question, I am here mainly on business. I have some new specifications regarding the telescope array which may be beneficial to the Astraeus project. So instead of video conferencing in my report to...Director Doug" Tess rolled her eyes and added finger quotes when she mentioned Fargo's name.

She still didn't understand how they could place Fargo in charge of an organization as important as GD. He was such an arrogant little asshole. But he was also the grandson of Pier Fargo, an institution himself. The scuttlebutt around GD was that Fargo had not gotten the job because of merit, but nepotism.

Come to think of it she thought, he had changed a bit since Founders Day also. Oh well.

"So anyway I decided to bring the information to you guys live and in person. Since I was going to be coming back anyway, I thought I'd make it a mini vacation, take the week off and visit some family and friends."

Allison looked to Tess with furrowed brow and tense smile, the only response she could give was an unenthusiastic "Great."

Tess turned and looked at a bouncing Jenna in her playpen "And just look at my Goddaughter, she's getting so big." Tess walked over to Jenna and kissed her on her forehead.

"Hey Sweetie. Oh Al she's beautiful and I've missed her so much." Tess crouched down and began making faces at Jenna who began giggling happily.

"Where's Kev by the way, I'm amazed that he's not down here scarfing up all the bacon." Tess added with a chuckle raising back up to full height.

"Oh he, uh spent the night over at Dre's house last night."

Tess turned to face Allison and with a lump in her throat, asked the question she had wanted to since she first walked in the door. "So, I see Jack's here. Where is he?"

"Well, um..." Allison stuttered.

Just then the sound of feet bounding down the stairs could be heard. "Hey Alli, where'd you put my razor?"

Both women turned to see Jack coming down the stairs. He stopped mid step as he reached the bottom landing mouth gaped open, at a complete loss of words at the sight before him.

The only words he could manage to utter he stated with a sound of pity in his voice,could barely be heard. "."

Tess couldn't believe what she was seeing. There was Allison standing in the kitchen making breakfast, looking like the happy little homemaker. And Jack, with that goddam goofy look on his face, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans his hair still wet obviously fresh out of the shower. Both of them looking like the cat that ate the canary.

"What in the HELL is going on!" Tess demanded to know.

Tess felt like she was going to be sick. She slowly began backing up attempting to sit herself down into one of the kitchen chairs, a wave of nausea passing over her. Allison noticed Tess had turned a sickly shade of green and immediately rushed to her side - the physician in her taking over. She attempted to help Tess ease herself into the seat and comfort her only to be rebuffed.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch me! How could you?" eyes pleading to Allison, the tears already beginning to form.

Jack and Allison looked at each other, neither knowing just how exactly to begin.

With a nervous waiver in her voice, Allison was the first to speak "Tess it's not what you think. Well I mean it is...but, just let us explain."

"Explain? Explain! What could you possibly say at this exact moment that would make me understand." Tess' complexion which had originally been a sickly green, had become red with rage.

Tess stared at Allison her breathing becoming very shallow, the tears now flowing freely.

"Oh no, wait I got it. Jack was here and you spilled your coffee on him and he had to take a shower to clean up. Oh or even better, we're all in an alternate universe and you and Jack are actually married and somehow I'm in the wrong timeline." she added sarcastically.

Jack went to say something but Allison shook her head to halt him.

Tess continued her rant, becoming more and more enraged the longer she stood there. "You, maybe" she said turning and facing Jack, "But you Al, never! You're like my sister and you stabbed me in the back."

Allison lowered her head, tears welling up in her own eyes. "Tess, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. We never wanted you to find out like this."

Jenna began to cry, obviously confused at the chaos happening around her. Jack moved to the playpen, picked her up and began patting her back in an attempt to soothe her. "It's okay sweetie" as she placed her head on Jack's shoulder she immediately began to calm down.

Tess looked back and forth from Jack to Allison. All of a sudden she felt like an intruder in an intimate scene.

"Oh my God, now I understand. The looks between the two of you. How neither of you wanted to explain how strangely you'd been acting. You two were seeing each other this whole time."

Immediately Jack spoke up "No...no, no, no. Tess we would never have done that." Jack placed Jenna down and faced Tess hands open in a pleading gesture. "We didn't start anything until well after you'd gone."

Tess looked at Jack with a look of disbelief on her face "Oh you expect me to believe that. And even if it were true, you still lied to me. The both of you."

"I have to go." Tess quickly rose from the chair knocking it over in the process. She ran for the door as Allison pleaded for her to stay and listen.

Tess got in her vehicle intent on fleeing as quickly as possible but she couldn't move. She felt numb. She was stunned. She grasped the steering wheel and let out a scream.

She didn't know what to think or what to do. She knew she couldn't stay parked in the driveway, eventually they would come out. So she did the only thing she could think of, she peeled out and headed for the Inn.

This was going to be a long week.

_As always I would appreciate yours reviews. _

_Thanks to all of you who have reviewed my first chapter. I take to heart your criticism and am trying to better my skills. _

_Next: Chapter 3 - Face off at GD. Allison gets to tell Tess how she really feels._


	3. Ruminations

**I do not own EUReKA, but I sure wish it was real. I would pack up and move there right now. **

**Rated M for Mature**

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 3: Ruminations

"Yesss," Allison dragged out the word, grinning from ear to ear. Jack was on the other end of the line and had said something particularly dirty to her. Even alone in her car, she couldn't help but blush. Damn, she had missed him last night.

Driving to work that Monday morning, looking out at a cloudless blue sky, Allison couldn't help but think how lucky she was to have him in their lives. This had been a trying weekend for the two of them with Tess arriving back in town unannounced. They had come face to face with a situation they had so desperately been trying to avoid. It's not that they planned to never let Tess in on the fact that they were in a relationship, but they wanted to tell her in person, in their own way. They agreed that this was not something she should learn about over the phone or by email, she was too good a friend to do that to.

Still, Allison felt like the most horrible person in the world. Once Tess left the house, she immediately ran into Jacks arms, her emotions getting the best of her. Allison didn't like for people to see her when she was vulnerable, but he was different. He never judged her or made her feel like a fool. She felt safe with him, he was her rock - always had been. So, she let her guard down. As he stood there, strong arms embracing her, she lay her face against his chest allowing the tears to flow.

When she finally composed herself she spoke softly to him, her face still buried in his chest, "Jack, what have we done? It wasn't supposed to happen this way. I never wanted..." and the tears began again.

"Hey. Hey. Look at me." He lowered his head attempting to get a better view of her face. Allison shook her head back and forth, refusing to lift it.

He placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her head so that he could see her eyes. He suddenly wished he hadn't done so. It broke his heart to see her unhappy, it always had. Her eyes were expressive and he had learned over time how to read them. He could tell when she was happy or sad. Excited or angry. Scared or being mischievous. Now all he could see was her pain.

Jack looked at her with empathy. "We have nothing to feel guilty about. No, it didn't turn out the way we would have liked, but I won't let this moment define us. We did nothing wrong Alli. We're in love. I know Tess is your best friend and you would never intentionally hurt her and deep down she knows that. You love her and I care about her too. Hopefully, she'll give us a chance to explain, but if she doesn't, well, we'll just cross that bridge when we get to it."

Allison looked into his tender blue eyes and smiled. How did he do that to her? Even when she felt at her worst, he made her feel at her best. Allison reached up and placed her hands to his face, and with a sureness she had never felt before stated "I love you."

"I love you too" he replied and when he smiled, all her fears faded away.

Allison decided to put the events of that morning out of her mind for the time being (well the part involving Tess anyway). She was intent on enjoying the rest of her weekend. So she dried her tears, put on a happy face, and continued on with their planned events. It'd be a shame to waste a such a beautiful day. So, they got Jenna ready, headed over to Cafe Diem to pick up the picnic basket Vincent had packed for them and headed for the lake.

She loved watching the two of them together. Yes, she felt bad that Nathan never got a chance to meet his daughter, but she couldn't ask for a better father figure than Jack. Jack had a knack for making Jenna smile like no one else could. Jenna was obviously as taken with Jack as he was with her. She had him wrapped around her little finger.

As she watched them explore the park, Allison noticed that Jack was having as much fun as Jenna was. Taking her down the slide, pushing her on the swing, skipping rocks across the pond as she laughed uncontrollably at how the ducks flew away each time he disturbed the water. It had been a wonderful afternoon, and that evening the fun continued.

When Kevin got home from his outing with Dre and his parents, they ordered a couple of pizzas and decided to watch a movie. It was Kevin's turn to choose which one they would watch and after the first thirty minutes, Allison couldn't touch another slice.

Sitting across from them in a comfy side chair, her feet tucked underneath her, she screwed her face up confused, "How can you two watch this and find it entertaining?" She looked to Jack and Kevin who were both engrossed in the horror movie he had chosen. Every so often they would chuckle and let out a "Whoa, or Ugh" at the blood curdling horror that was taking place.

"Mom, you wouldn't understand, its a man thing." Kevin stated with a straight face, never taking his eyes off the screen. Jack added for good measure, "Yeah...Mom, this is man stuff." A smirk on his face as he nodded in affirmation.

"Oh really," Allison pursed her mouth and added sarcastically "and this coming from the man who is afraid of heights, enclosed spaces, things in his eyes..." remembering the PALS that Jack was reluctant to put in. "Shall I continue" she asked trying hard to contain her laughter. Smiling from ear to ear, she knew she had just gotten one over on him. Jack picked up a throw pillow and playfully threw it at a hysterically laughing Kevin.

They all had a great time that evening, laughing, joking and just generally enjoying each others company. Jack objected when they brought out the Trivial Pursuit. He argued that they had a clear advantage over him, both of them being geniuses and all. He only agreed to play once they allowed him to only answer questions pertaining to sports and entertainment. Even with his advantage, he ended up in last place.

"Oh, this is obviously rigged. I protest." He lamented, laughing the entire time.

By eleven o'clock they were all quite tired. Jenna had been asleep for hours and so Allison sent Kevin off to bed.

"Well, it's getting late" Jack said as he rose from the couch, "I'd better go" he added hesitantly with an impish grin on his face. Jack wrapped his arms around her waist, leaned in and kissed her neck, all the while making that low guttural sound that drove her crazy - the one that instantly turned her on. As Jack released her and turned to leave, Allison reached out and laid her hand on his forearm, gently squeezing.

Bitting down on her lower lip, she looked at him with hooded eyes, a wisp of hair falling across her face, "Don't go" she pleaded and breathlessly awaited his answer.

Head cocked to the side, a questioning look in his eye, "Are you sure? I mean Kevin..."

Beaming, Allison nodded "I'm sure."

This was the first night he stayed while Kevin was at home. It was a big step they were taking in their relationship. Yes, they were still a little nervous about Kevin's reaction, but they were in a committed relationship - this was no fling. So with Jacks hand in hers, she led him upstairs and into her bedroom.

Allison's bedroom was neither excessively feminine or masculine. She preferred a contemporary style, with muted colors on the walls, adding bright pops of color here and there to keep it interesting. Jacks favorite part of the room of course was the bed. Not because of what they did in it (that was just an added benefit). Jack had finally convinced Allison to requisition one of the prototype mattresses like he had at the Smart House. She had to admit it, she should have had one installed a long time ago.

Once they entered the room, she closed the door behind them and made sure it was locked. Walking over to the dresser, she turned on some music. Eurkea had a unique music file sharing system that allowed you to play any style of music you liked. It had every song ever recorded in its database. Allison chose to tune it to the "Quiet Storm" which played a collection of soulful R&B slow jams. She then turned down the lights, creating a soft and romantic glow in the room. There was no doubt what was on her mind tonight.

They immediately reached for each other in the dimly lit room. Allison moved her hands to Jacks chest and slid them up and over until her arms were crossed around the back of his neck. He leaned into her, lowered his hands down her sides and over her hips so that he could cradle her bottom.

Allison slowly traced her hands back down over his chest and slid them up and underneath his T-shirt. She loved the feel of his bare skin, it was warm to the touch, hard and soft at the same time. Pushing his shirt up, she allowed her hands to roam freely, eyeing every pass she made, noticing the definition of each muscle. Allison gazed into his eyes, leaned in, and firmly pressed her lips against his. Their passions ignited, he deepened the kiss, making her head spin.

Allison released herself from him, her lips barely a breath away, "I never wanted anyone as much as I want you" she admitted. "Jack," she said, drawing out his name "I want your hands all over me. Do what you want to me" she commanded.

Jack's eyes widened, wild thoughts already running through his head of the many things he wanted to do to her. He placed his hands to her face and slowly moved in, nuzzling against her neck, deeply inhaling her intoxicating scent. He slipped his hands around her waist and lifted her off the floor so that her feet dangled as he moved her toward the bed. Once there he gently lowered her down until she was seated.

Allison reached up and undid the clip in her hair, allowing it to tumble down over her shoulders. She looked to him seductively, maneuvered her hands to the button of his jeans, and unsnapped them with deftly swift fingers. While Jack went to pull his shirt off, Allison took advantage of his hands being occupied and pushed his jeans and underwear down to the floor in one rapid motion. Jack blinked hard at how quickly she was able to undress him. It was no surprise that he was already hard.

Using her hands, Allison slid back onto the bed so that she lay horizontally across the California-King sized mattress. Viewing her from his standing position Jack couldn't help but admire the view, "You look good enough to eat."

With a devilish look in her eye, Allison crooked a finger in a come hither motion, "Well then, come and take a bite."

He lowered himself carefully over her so as not to crush her with his body weight. He immediately found her lips and lovingly began placing small kisses all over her face and neck. He wanted to take it slow tonight and savor every moment with her. He wanted to make her beg for him to make her cum.

Jack retreated down her body, stopping at her waist. He placed his hands at the hem of her shirt and slowly began pushing up, kissing her luxurious skin for every inch it rose. Allison pulled her shirt off the remainder of the way and threw it to the floor carelessly, revealing her black lace bra.

Jack loved that she always wore something sexy, especially when she wore them underneath her business clothes. Sometimes he would imagine what color or pattern she had on. It didn't help that he usually did this when she was saying something serious to him. She could always tell when he did this because he stared at her with a glazed look in his eyes.

Jack lowered his mouth over her breast and through the fabric traced circles around her areola causing her to whimper. Every few turns he would flick them over her nipples, enjoying how they would harden with each pass. Jack then placed two fingers to the front clasp of her bra (and what would normally be troublesome for some men) unhooked it with the precision of a surgeon.

He slipped the bra from her shoulders then moved his hands down, tugging the form fitting jeans from her and tossed them to the floor. Intentionally leaving her black lace panties on, Jack lifted her leg up and placed it on his shoulder. Starting at her ankle he slowly trailed his tongue up her leg, lingering at different points along the way. Once he reached the spot where her thigh met her middle, he deliberately avoided her center. Switching to the opposite side, he sucked on her smooth brown thigh making her shudder. He could tell she was excited, and frankly a little impatient, her body writhing with anticipation. Jack wanted to make her wait a little longer before he committed, so he licked her through the fabric of her lace panties, taking her by surprise causing her to arch her back.

Jack continued nipping, kissing, and licking her through the flimsy material. He didn't know how long he had been down there...he lost track of time. She tasted so good, her nectar trickling onto his tongue - he might have even enjoyed it more than she did. Allison's moaning brought him out of his trance, "Jack, don't tease me. Please. Now. Take me now." Jack decided to take pity on her and hooked his fingers over her panties and slowly slid them down her legs.

He took her swollen lips in his mouth, causing her to tremble. Like a theft in the night, he slipped two fingers inside of her - she was so wet, so warm. Thrusting them in and out of her slit, Jack found her g-spot and applied pressure, making her body convulse. He then grabbed her legs, threw them over his shoulders and dove in with a fierceness, devouring her completely. His tongue swirled over her clit, darting in and out of her. Allison twisted the bedsheets in her hands, thighs clenched around Jacks head.

"Jack, OH MY GOD, JACK!" she screamed.

"Shhh" he mumbled against her, sending quivers throughout. Allison could no longer hold on, that one act sending her over the edge, her juices flowing all over him.

Jack moved up on the bed and positioned her so that she lay with her back to him. Taking her from behind, Jack moved inside of her, his warm breath on the back of her neck. He gyrated his hips, sliding in and out. One arm beneath her, the other with hand resting on her abdomen. He was smooth, rocking her gently until he was ready to cum himself.

He was such a generous lover. He made her feel wanted, needed, loved. Always taking his time, making sure she was satisfied. She had to remember to return the favor.

They eventually found their under the covers and lay spooning each other through the night. Wrapped so tightly you could not tell where she began and he ended.

That next morning Allison got up early to make breakfast for them all before she headed out to church with the kids. Thats the one thing she still couldn't get Jack to participate in. He always managed to come up with some excuse (he had to catch up on some paperwork at the office, Jo needed his help with something or other) so after a while she just resigned to the fact that it just wasn't his thing.

"Come on guys, breakfast." She called out to "her men" as they sat on the couch in their pajamas flipping through the channels, trying to find some early morning entertainment.

"Bacon!" Kevin yelled as he leapt over the couch (she swears the first word out of that boys mouth was bacon). Allison smiled as she thought back to about 3 weeks ago when Jack had come over on Sunday morning to make them all his "famous" blueberry pancakes. She foolishly attempted to substitute turkey bacon for their usual brand hoping that they wouldn't notice. Needless to say he and Kevin almost started a riot in the kitchen. It was during these times that she felt they were like a real family. She secretly hoped that one night he would stay and never leave.

"Mama" Jenna cooed, banging her hands on her high chair, bringing Allison back to reality. Allison turned and smiled, "OK baby, mama's coming."

Allison noticed that Kevin didn't give it a second thought that Jack spent the night. If it bothered him, she saw no signs of it. The one thing she wanted to make sure of was that she presented the right image for her kids. She wasn't worried about what other people thought, her kids opinion of her mattered the most.

"Coffee." Stretching out her arm and handing Jack the mug of hot brew as he moved toward the kitchen.

"Ah, you know me so well." He answered smiling broadly. Walking over he pecked her on the lips before taking the cup from her hand.

"Ugh, get a room you two." Kevin stated a look of false exasperation on his face. "Do you have to do that in front of me."

"Yes, yes we do" Jack replied. He and Allison looked to each other and chuckled.

Jack stayed long enough to help her clean up the dishes then showered and went home.

As Allison lay in bed that night alone, she tossed and turned. Her thoughts kept going back to Tess. She dreaded the confrontation she new was coming tomorrow. She thought about how she would feel to be in her shoes. Would she be so willing to forgive her? Would she ever be able to trust her again? As if he was reading her mind, her PDA rang.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I was just lying here, thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"About how much I miss you and wish you where here laying here next to me."

"Baby, I miss you too."

She could just picture his movements, head cocked to the side, eyes darted upward, smiling, tongue at the corner of his mouth.

"But that wasn't what you were thinking about" Jack added.

"How did you know thats what I was thinking about?"

"I know you Alli. Don't worry about tomorrow. We'll get through this."

He did know her, sometimes better than she knew herself.

"Get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too."

Allison knew one thing, whatever happened tomorrow they would make it through...together.

_Next up - Chapter 4: The Showdown_

_Chapter 3 was supposed to be the Showdown, but I decided to add a scene in between. I didn't want to go straight from Tess finding out to her and Allison confronting each other. She is on a mini vacation so I wanted this story to reflect what everyone goes through during the week she is here._

_I look forward to your reviews._


	4. The Showdown

**I do not own EUReKA. Too bad, so sad. **

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 4: The Showdown

Allison pulled her vehicle into the Directors spot, grabbed her Vinspresso from the cup holder and headed inside the facility. She had quite a busy day ahead of her. Not including the presentation that Tess would be giving, she had to update Senator Wen on their progress, review the medical exam results for the remainder of the Astreaus crew, and Dr. Parrish wanted to speak to her regarding a request. No doubt another attempt to be added as a member of the Astreaus team.

Walking across the rotunda towards her temporary office, Allison was greeted by staff who were beginning their work day. Since taking over for Fargo, she noticed that the employees were more apt to speak to her while Director in this timeline as apposed to the previous one. She didn't think she came across as someone who was unapproachable in the old Eureka, but did notice that people were a little more open to her here.

She wondered if the "new" Kevin had anything to do with her changed persona. In the old timeline she was very focused on Kevin. Hoping that they could get to a place where they could communicate with each other, she made sure he received the proper attention. She admits it didn't give her much time to socialize and make new friends. Though she knew she would love Kevin in any timeline, it felt good to be in a place where they could relate to each other.

"Good morning Dr. Blake." Larry leapt from his chair and greeted her as she turned the corner toward her office door.

"Good morning, Larry." She could say one thing for sure, Larry definitely stayed the same.

"May I say you look particularly lovely this morning? What a striking outfit you have on today." A fake smile plastered across his face.

Walking past him Allison rolled her eyes, "Thanks Larry." Yup, still a kiss-ass.

To his credit, Allison did look amazing today, as usual. She had on a killer pewter grey silk pant suit that accentuated her curves perfectly, her long dark brown hair flowing past her shoulders.

Shadowing her into the office, Larry gave her a run down of the day ahead.

"I have your itinerary for today all ready. On your desk are the specifications Dr. Fontana forwarded regarding the Telescope Array. Dr.'s Deacon, Fargo, Martin, and Monroe will be here at eleven for the briefing. Dr. Parish called again requesting a meeting with you ASAP and Senator Wen called and stated she would have to postpone this mornings conference call as she will be tied up with the General Assembly."

Hovering over her, Larry continued reviewing the list of the days events, "Larry, just leave it, I can read it for myself." Allison looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

Larry looked a little put off. "Oh, okay. Well, if there's anything else you need Dr. Blake, don't hesitate to ask." He stated as he backed out of the room.

"Thank you Larry." Allison replied, her voice monotone.

Allison dove right into her morning work, getting some of the more mundane tasks out of the way first. She wanted to be able to focus this morning. She had hoped that once the meeting was over she could sit down and have a heart to heart with Tess. This was going to be a rough morning.

Tess upon reaching the Directors outer office was greeted by Larry. "Good morning Dr. Fontana." He smiled widely raising from his seat.

"Good morning Larry." Tess replied a look of revulsion on her face.

"May I say you look particularly lovely this morning? What a striking...uh...shirt and pair of pants you have on."

"Yeah, whatever Larry." Kiss-ass she thought. "Is Dr. Fargo ready for me?"

"Actually, Dr. Fargo has been temporarily replaced as head of GD since he is a member of the Astreaus team. Dr. Blake is acting Director and is awaiting you and the other participants."

Muttering to herself, "What a shocker, Allison Blake gets the prize...again."

"How's that Dr. Fontana" Larry questioned.

"Nothing. I was just talking to myself. I think I'll just come back later." Tess turned and walked out of the inner office.

"Well, okay." Larry thought it strange that she would choose not to go inside and chat with her old friend, but whatever and then proceeded to stuff another donut into his mouth.

At eleven o'clock everyone gathered in Allison's office for the briefing. Upon entering, Tess greeted everyone, even Allison although she chose to use her professional title of Dr. Blake, and refused to give her any eye contact. A fact that didn't go unnoticed by Grace.

The briefing was standard fare consisting of numerous facts, theories, and hypothesis. Questions and answers back and forth between the participants. It lasted about two hours and in the end all parties agreed that the Telescope Array would be beneficial to the mission. So Allison gave the go ahead for the technology to be used.

Once the meeting concluded and everyone headed out to leave, Allison called out to Tess.

"Tess can you wait please?" Allison allowed the others to exit before continuing, hopefulness in her voice. "We need to talk."

Tess hesitantly turned around, her eyes diverted away from Allison.

"Please...sit down." Allison motioned for her to sit on the couch. Tess moved to the chair opposite Allison's desk and sat. Head turned to the side, arms crossed, already on the defensive.

Well, Allison thought, she knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Tess, I need to explain about me and Jack." Allison started, taking a seat in the chair behind her desk.

"Oh, you mean now you want to tell me the truth." Tess turned toward her and stared. If her eyes were lasers, Allison would be dead right now.

"You should have been told the truth a long time ago." Allison confessed. "Tess, every time I spoke to you I wanted to tell you but I couldn't. Not that way. I needed to tell you face to face. You deserved that at least."

Letting out a deep sigh, Allison began.

"First off there are some things you need to know. Tess, you aremy best friend. I love you and I would never intentionally hurt you. Jack and I never embarked on a relationship while the two of you were involved. Neither he nor I would do that to you. You have to believe that. We only started seeing each other a little over a month after you left."

"Is that supposed to make everything okay?"

"No...I'm just trying to explain so you'll understand. Tess I want you to know that this has been a long time in the making. Since the day Jack and I met, we've had this...this thing. I can't explain it but, we've always been drawn to each other." Allison paused, hoping that she was getting her point across. "Its..its complicated."

"Well, I'm a smart women" she smiled with obvious sarcasm, "explain it to me."

Allison chose to ignore Tess' mocking tone. "I can't speak for Jack, but I know when I met him there was a spark, a connection like I've never felt before. When he and Zoë initially arrived in Eureka, there was no reason to believe that they would be staying. So, that spark I felt, I dismissed as just a fluke. We rarely get new people here, especially those who stumble upon us, so I chalked it up to the excitement of a new arrival. When Jack was assigned here, well I was surprised to say the least. Those initial feelings I felt were back, but I never acted on them. Something always kept us apart. It was either never the right time or there was an obstacle in the way."

"So, I was your obstacle." Tess asked.

"No Tess. Honestly I didn't pursue him because I was afraid."

Tess looked at her with disbelief on her face. "Allison you've never been afraid of anything."

"Well, this time I was. I was confused about how I felt. I guess I always knew Jack had feelings for me, but I never knew how strong they were. At the time Nathan and I were separated I wasn't technically free. Jack is an honorable man and never pursued me while I was still married. Even though Nathan and I eventually divorced, we never had a chance for closure in our relationship. For God's sake he still worked for GD. Nathan still loved me and I admit that I loved him too. Better the evil you know, right?"

"If I were to take a chance on Jack," Allison stated while shrugging her shoulders, "who knows how it would have turned out."

"So, Nathan and I grew closer again over time. When he proposed to me again I was stunned to say the least. Even though Jack couldn't understand why I would marry him again, he never shared his true feelings with me. After that I gave up any hope that Jack and I could be something to each other. If he had, things might have gone differently."

Allison searched Tess' eyes when making her next statement. "I'm glad they didn't though, because now I have Jenna. I believe it was supposed to happen this way."

Tess looked into Allison's eyes. "So when I arrived here and I asked you if anything was going on between the two of you, you sat right there and lied to me," she accused.

"No, I didn't. There was nothing going on."

"But you wanted there to be."

"Yes, yes I did."

"So why didn't you tell me how you really felt. We were supposed to be best friends. More than best friends we were like sisters. You know you could tell me anything. So instead you set me up to play the fool. You let me get close to him, fall in love with him. I believed that we really had something together."

"Tess I didn't say anything because I wanted to be fair. Fair not only to you, but to him. Jack has always been their for me, no matter what. He was there when Nathan and I went through our divorce. He was there when we were reconciling. He was there at my wedding. Hell, he even walked me down the isle. When Nathan died I was devastated, and there was Jack by my side again. When I found out I was pregnant, Jack was there through every step of the way. Throughout it all, he was concerned only about me and Kevin. He never asked anything for himself."

"So when you came to town and I saw there was a connection between the two of you, I couldn't be selfish. I was alone again and I didn't want Jack to feel obligated to be with me. He always made sure I was happy, how could I destroy the one bit of happiness he had finally found. So even though I couldn't do it emotionally, I mentally let him go. Frankly, I never thought that you two would get so serious."

Tess looked at her, shock on her face. "So what you're saying is that I wasn't good enough for him."

Allison shook her head wildly. "No, no, no, I'm not saying that at all. It's just that the two of you are so different."

"Oh, but you two are so much alike." Tess said mockingly. "You and Jack are as much total opposites as he and I are."

"Thats what I initially thought, but I was wrong. Yes, on paper he's not the person anyone would expect me to be with, but our differences work Tess. We want the same things, have the same goals."

"Tess you never wanted the traditional life. The spouse, the kids, the white picket fence. You're focused on your career and there's nothing wrong with that. I respect your choice, but thats not the life I want. Along with the career, I wanted those other things, and Jack wants them too."

Tess rose from her chair and walked over to the glass window facing the rotunda and scratched at an invisible spot. "You know this is all very romantic and touching," she turned to Allison, a look of sadness on her face. "but the truth is you lied. To me! You betrayed me. I thought you were someone I could trust."

Allison rose from her chair and walked toward Tess. "I am Tess. You can still trust me. Please, I don't want this to destroy our friendship."

Tess crossed her arms and looked skyward. "You know, I don't even know why I'm surprised, you always get what you want."

"How can you say that?" Allison was taken aback by the statement Tess just made.

"Are you kidding me? Allison you have to be the best at everything. Always at the top of the class. The first to get married and have a child. Recruited by the DOD then hired by GD to be the Medical Director. Then there was Nathan who was not only gorgeous but had one of the most brilliant minds ever."

Tess' voice rose an octave with each statement she made. "You were the first to publish a book, an acclaimed one at that. Now you're acting Director of GD, no doubt they'll be so impressed by you they'll find a way to boot Fargo out and hand you the position. You have the perfect children and to put the cherry on top, you had to have him."

Tess looked at Allison, a questioning look on her face. "You couldn't let me have a little happiness? Just experience a little bit of what you had?"

Allison had had enough. "Dammit Tess, thats not fair. You are just as ambitious, just as accomplished as I am. And you better than anyone knows how much heartache I've had to deal with. Losing both my children's fathers and becoming a widow twice was not in my plans. Having children who will never know their fathers and raising them alone? Do you know how scary that is. And I will not apologize for doing my best. I have never pushed anyone as hard as I do myself. I worked tirelessly for every accolade, every position, every honor that has been bestowed on me."

"As for Jack, I didn't want to lie to you, but I didn't want to hurt you either. I know how hard it was for you after you broke up but I couldn't pretend anymore that I didn't want him for myself."

Tess moved back to the chair opposite Allison's desk. When she began talking again, her voice had again returned to a calm state realizing that she had gone too far in attacking Allison when it came to her children and her work ethic.

"You say that you weren't cheating while Jack and I where together and lets say I give you the benefit of the doubt and believe you. The two of you were hiding something from me. Don't deny it. The secrecy, the looks, the private meetings with Jo, Henry, Fargo, and Charles. What in the hell was going on?"

One of the first things Allison and the other travelers did was review the history of the new Eureka timeline. Even though the aspects of their own lives were slightly different, the record of events in Eurkea remained almost true to form. Allison knew she couldn't tell Tess about the alternate timeline. So she decided she had to tell a little white lie.

"The reason Charles was here was because he was on a covert mission. Each of us had a role to play in keeping the details of his presence classified. That was the reason for the looks, the secrecy, the private meetings. We were never sure who we could trust outside of our circle. Frankly I'm still not privileged to talk about it and the others mustn't know I told you, but I assure you, what you saw had nothing to do with Jack and I seeing each other." Allison thought to herself that this was one of the biggest lies she ever had to tell. She just hoped that she was believable.

Tess looked at Allison, her face relaxing from the tension it originally showed. "How do you know that this isn't just a fling? Can you really see a future with him?"

Allison moved to the chair beside Tess and took her hands in hers. She looked her square in the eye and simply said, "Yes."

"Tess he's the missing piece that makes me feel whole. It's everything about him, the way he walks, the way he talks, the way he says my name. When he touches me, I feel...alive. When I'm down and its dark, he is my light. He's always there when I need him. He makes me feel like no one else ever has. He loves my children, they love him and I love Zoë. We're becoming a family."

Allison began to tear up. "Tess I want to spend the rest of my life with him if he'll have me. He's the one. I love him."

"I know you can't understand right now but I hope one day you will."

Tess looked at Allison, her own eyes beginning to tear. It was the most honest and sincere Allison had ever been with her. She was conflicted. Looking at Allison's face she saw nothing but pure joy. She had never seen her so content.

Tess wiped her eyes and rose from the chair. "Al, I don't know what to say. I just need some time alone. Some time to think about all of this."

"I understand." Allison mentally smiled to herself, she had called her Al. They just might be okay.

And with that Tess walked from the office without another word.

_Next up - Chapter 5: A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed _


	5. A Friend In Need, Is A Friend Indeed

**I do not own EUReKA. I did not create it. I'm just not that clever.**

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 5: A Friend In Need, Is A Friend Indeed

Jack couldn't wait until this day was over. Tonight when he got home he would have SARAH make him a big juicy steak, grab a tall glass of beer and find a game to watch on television. At the moment he was stuck at the Sheriff's station finishing up paperwork, the most tedious part of his job. It had been a surprisingly dull couple of days by Eureka standards. No wormholes, no giant red elf's, no quantum runaway...thingys. Maybe the science gods were taking pity on him because Tess was back in town. He thinks waiting for the inevitable confrontation between the two of them was punishment enough.

The highlight so far today was meeting up with Allison. On nights they spent apart, they always got together the next morning to catch up and have a cup of coffee. It was a ritual they continued from their old timeline days. Today she was going to regale him with the events of her chat with Tess yesterday.

Jack placed his hand on the small of her back and motioned her over to a corner booth so they could at least have a little privacy.

"So, how'd it go?" Jack questioned, taking a sip of his coffee.

Allison sighed. "About as well as you'd expect."

"Ouch! That good huh?" Jack couldn't help but grimace.

"I explained to her what I could. Understandably she was very defensive." Allison then preceded to tell him about the conversation they had. She left out a few details, like how Tess stated that Nathan was gorgeous. Best not to mention that.

"...but in the end I was honest with her and told her how I felt."

Jack raised an eyebrow and smirked at her, "And how do you feel?"

Allison blushed, her eyes darting down toward the Vinspresso that lay between her hands.

"Well, I told her that we'd always been attracted to each other and that we never meant to hurt her. I told her that I didn't want this to destroy our friendship and hoped that one day she'd understand." Picking up her coffee and uttering quickly before she took a sip, "And I told her how much I loved you."

Jack grinned from ear to ear, reached across the table and took Allison's hand in his. "I love you too."

They sat and gazed into each others eyes, the spell broken by Vincent who arrived at their booth, tray in hand.

"Good morning Allison, Sheriff."

"Morning Vincent." They replied simultaneously.

"Just thought I'd bring over a new concoction of mine. Limacoid sausage with apple and sage. It's very healthy, and it tastes just like chicken." Vincent presented the dish proudly.

Allison looked at the tray with apprehension. "Uh, no thanks Vincent. I've already had breakfast."

Vincent turned to Jack and placed a sampling in front of him, a look of eager anticipation on his face. "Sheriff?"

Allison tried to contain her laughter at the faces Jack was making. "That, um, uh, looks interesting, but I think I'll pass." It was a well known fact and the town joke that Jack enjoyed eating. A lot. But this was even a little much for him.

Exasperated, Vincent scolded him, "You know Sheriff, you should be a little more adventurous. There's more to life than just burgers and fries."

Since they didn't seem interested in trying the dish, he changed the subject. "So, Dr. Fontana's back in town I see?" Vincent looked back and forth between Jack and Allison.

"She was in here last night for dinner." He continued, obviously fishing for information.

Everyone knew that Vincent was the town gossip and if there was anything that you wanted to keep a secret, your best bet would be not to tell him. When neither Jack nor Allison would offer any info, he bid them goodbye and backed away from the table dejected.

They couldn't help but chuckle as he walked away.

"Well, I'd better get going, lots to do today. I just hope it goes better than yesterday." Allison got up to leave, leaned across the table and pecked Jack on the lips.

Jack watched her hips sway as she left out of the cafe. God, he could watch her walk away all day. Hypnotized by her movements, he couldn't help but think about the first time he was able to run his hands over her luxurious body. It happened on the night of their first real date. He so wanted to impress her with his cooking skills...well, SARAH'S cooking skills anyway, so he decided to have a romantic dinner for just the two of them. Sure, he could have taken her to Café Diem, but he wanted to have her all to himself. So, Jack made sure Jo was going to be out for the evening and set his plan in motion.

Allison arranged for the nanny to stay with the kids for a few extra hours that night, so they had plenty of time to relax and enjoy themselves. Jack put on the outfit (minus suit jacket) that he originally wore on what was supposed to be their first date. The one Allison didn't realize was a "date-date." Everything was perfect. The lights were low, candles lit, wine chilled, and romantic music softly played in the background.

Jack couldn't understand why he was so nervous. It wasn't as if Allison had never spent time in his home before. Granted, some of those occasions included being held hostage by SARAH/BRAD, throwing her a baby shower, and the time she accidentally fell asleep in his bed. Jack was determined that this time it wouldn't turn into a disaster.

When SARAH opened the bunker door and Allison walked in, Jack thought his heart had stopped beating at the mere sight of her. She looked absolutely amazing. She had on a red sheath dress that accentuated her hourglass figure perfectly. For the first few seconds, Jack stood there mesmerized, mouth dry, his head completely void of all thought. He felt like a teenager going out on his first date. Once his senses came back to him, and they got over the initial nervousness that both of them felt, the evening went along as he had hoped. They talked, they laughed, they had a great time.

When it was time to dine, they decided to open the bottle of wine. As Allison reached up to procure two glasses, Jack was overcome with the urge to be close to her. With her back to him, he walked over, tentatively placed one hand on her waist, the other anchored on the counter and pressed his body against hers. When she didn't respond he was worried that he had moved to fast. He didn't want to seem like some horny adolescent, but he couldn't help himself. When he felt Allison's hand cover his and intertwine their fingers, he let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

Eyes closed, Jack uttered her name breathlessly, embraced her and drank in her fragrance. He tilted his head down and placed small delicate kisses along her neckline. Allison leaned back in response and gyrated against his already growing erection. He felt lightheaded. How many times had he wished that he could be near her, touch her, hold her, kiss her? At this moment, his dreams where fulfilled.

Jack turned her around, and immediately covered her mouth with his. A long lingering kiss that conveyed just how much he wanted her. Four years of pent up longing overtook them as they allowed their hands to explore each others bodies. They stumbled toward the living room and onto the couch. Both of them groping, panting, gasping. Jack couldn't contain his excitement, his cock swelling with each pass his hands made. Allison pushed him onto his back and stretched out over him.

He didn't know how long they were on the couch making out like two overheated teenagers, but he wished that it would never end. The only thing that stopped them from consummating their relationship that night was the fact that she had to get home to the kids. In the end they were both glad they waited, because when it did happen, it was even more beautiful than they could have imagined.

Jack was so engrossed in reliving the memory of that evening, that he didn't see Fargo and Holly walk up to his table.

"Hey Sheriff Carter." Fargo addressed him with his customary exuberance.

Jack nodded in their direction. "Hey Fargo, Holly."

"Sheriff Carter." Holly greeted him. "Oh, I see you have Vincent's meat. Doesn't it just melt in your mouth?"

Jack did a double take. She had an unusual knack for unknowingly saying the most inappropriate things. "Yeah, I wouldn't know. So what are you guys up to this today?"

Fargo eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. "We're on our way over to the Astreaus simulation pad. Henry's created some new scenarios for us to test out."

"It's so exciting Sheriff, can't you just see it, us out there exploring uncharted regions, I mean who would have ever thought, well, as a matter of fact I did, you know when I was a kid people thought I was crazy because I told them that in our lifetime we would travel to places well beyond our own galaxy, I..."

Jack stared at her in awe and wondered how long she could talk without taking a breath.

"Holly? Holly?" Jack cut her off.

"Oh, sorry. Sometimes when I talk I lose my train of thought and tend to babble in run on sentences, you can imagine my parents had a difficult time with me, sometimes they would..."

Sensing Jack's frustration, Fargo grasped Holly by the shoulders and turned her toward the door. "We'll just go now. See ya later Sheriff."

Jack shook his head as they headed out. Both of them awkward, clumsy, always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. They were perfect for each other.

Later on back at the station, Jack was working on wrapping up the last file. Even though the day had mostly been a bore, he at least met his goal and completed the backlog he had created. During moments like these he missed having Jo around. She would never have let him get away with allowing his paperwork to accumulate like that.

When he got home that evening, he immediately went upstairs and changed into his T-shirt and pajama bottoms. He grabbed a tall glass of beer, some pork rinds and settled down in front of the television. It had been awhile since Jack had the house all to himself. Allison was home with the kids, and Jo was spending the night with Zane. Oh he missed Allison terribly, and Jo was always fun to hang around with, but sometimes he just wanted to act like a bachelor.

"Hey SARAH?"

"Yes, Sheriff Carter?"

"Could you grill up a steak for me please."

"Certainly. Will Dr. Blake be joining you for dinner tonight?"

"Uh no, it's just you and me."

"Well, actually Sheriff Carter, I invited Deputy Andy over tonight if thats okay."

"Thats fine." Jack still couldn't understand how they managed to be a couple. But there were lots of things about this town he would never understand. So he settled in, flipped through the channels until he found a game and downed his beer. Just as he got up to grab another one the bunker door opened and Andy walked in.

"Evening Boss." Andy greeted him, a plastered grin on his face.

"Hey Andy."

"Hi SARAH." Andy looked up dreamily toward the ceiling.

SARAH answered in similar fashion. "Hi ANDY."

Jack rolled his eyes from his position in the kitchen. "Well, I'll just leave you two alone." He moved to head upstairs.

"No, you stay here and I'll join SARAH in her room." Andy walked over to the computer room where SARAH's hardware lay and shut the panel behind him. Jack couldn't imagine what two computers could possibly do in there to entertain each other. On second thought, he didn't wanna know.

About twenty minutes later, Andy emerged and stood silently behind the couch. After a few minutes Jack looked out the corner of his eye to see him, still unmoved from his position.

"Everything okay Andy?"

"Yup." He continued to stand there motionless.

"Is there something I can do for you?"

"Well, I was talking with SARAH and we thought it would be a good idea for me to engage in some male bonding."

"Uh huh." It took Jack another minute to realize that Andy wanted to engage in some male bonding with him.

"Would you like to watch the game with me Andy?"

"Thanks Boss." Andy moved around and sat right next to Jack. "So, what do we do now?"

Jack eased himself over a few inches, "Well, we sit and watch the game. Usually we'd have a couple beers and some chips, but since you don't eat or drink, we'll just skip over that part."

They both sat quietly for a while before Andy piped up again.

Eyebrows raised, a wide grin on his face, Andy turned to him, "Should we talk about the women we've had?"

Jack continued to stare at the television. "Andy, you've never had a woman."

"I know, SARAHs' not technically a woman, but from what I have observed, she sure acts like one."

Jack stifled a laugh. "Okay then, lets talk about women."

"So, who's better in bed Dr. Blake or Dr. Fontana?"

Jack almost spit out the beer he had just taken a sip of. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Andy you don't get to ask me that question."

"Well, isn't that what guys talk about. The women that they've had."

"Yeah, but I am not going to compare them. And if I did, I certainly wouldn't share that information with anyone, let alone you."

Andy lowered his head, obviously bothered by the fact that he had offended Jack. "Sorry Boss."

Jack turned toward him and attempted to ease his distress. "It's okay Andy. Listen, if you want to talk about something in particular, you can ask."

Andy put his signature smile back in place. "Okey-dokey. So, how are you handling Dr. Fontana being back in town?"

"Frankly, it's been difficult having Allison and Tess try to work together. There's a lot of tension between them. I mean, they're both professional and they don't let it interfere with getting the job done, but it's a challenge."

"As for me, I feel bad that I came between two friends. Tess is a great girl, but she wasn't the one for me. I just hope that this hasn't destroyed their friendship. I realize how hard it is for her to see Allison and I together, but I hope she knows we didn't mean to hurt her."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just tell Dr. Fontana about the alternate timeline?"

"We thought about it, but the fewer people that know the better. Anyway, I don't think it would make much of a difference. Truth is that in this timeline, I broke up with her. From everything I've learned, much of what happened to us in the old Eureka has happened here. The biggest change in my life, is the fact that Tess decided to stay instead of leaving for Australia."

"Don't you think that you could have tried to make it work with Dr. Fontana?"

"I could have, but it wouldn't have been real. That would have been worse than breaking up with her. I couldn't pretend that I loved her when I didn't. It wouldn't have been fair to either of us. And from what Grace has told me, I had a thing for Allison here too." Jack couldn't help but smile at the thought. "I guess our fates never really change."

"So you think that you and Dr. Blake are destined to be together?"

"I'd like to think so. You have to admit, it's been an uphill battle to get to where we are now. Honestly, I couldn't imagine my life without her."

Jack and Andy's conversation continued and eventually turned to other "manly" things that he was interested in learning about. Though Jack initially wanted to spend some time alone, and the evening had been a little strange, he admitted that he had enjoyed it.

"Well Boss, I think I'd better call it a night. I'm gonna say goodbye to SARAH and head home."

"Alright Andy, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Boss. Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Sure."

"I know you're the Sheriff and I'm your Deputy, and I work for you, but do you think that we could be friends?"

"Andy..." Jack turned, a puzzled look on his face, "We are friends."

Jack didn't think he had ever seen Andy smile so broadly. "Goodnight Boss."

After Andy left and Jack reprocessed the whole Tess situation, a feeling of sadness fell over him. It wasn't that he wanted Tess back, it's just that he felt bad about the way it all went down. Jack decided to call it a night and headed up to bed. Just as he got good and settled in, his phone rang. He rolled over and grabbed his PDA from the bedside table.

"Carter." He answered in his usual fashion.

"Hey, its me."

"Hey me." Allison's voice always lifted his spirits.

"Ha ha, very funny. I just wanted to call and say goodnight."

"What are you wearing?"

Allison couldn't help but smirk. "Would you stop it. How was your day?"

Jack put on a mock serious tone. "Horrible. I missed you."

"I missed you too. Oh by the way I won't be able to meet you for coffee tomorrow. I have to be in early. We have a new shipment of supplies coming in for the mission and we need to get the inventory done."

"Thats okay. But you can make it up to me."

"Really? And just what would you like me to do?"

"Well, I have a couple of questions first."

Allison was intrigued. "Okay?"

"Where are you right now?"

"In my bedroom."

"Are the lights out?"

"Yes."

"Is your door locked?"

"No."

"Lock it."

"Jack, what are you..."

"Just lock it."

Allison moved over to the door and clicked the lock. "Done."

"Put me on speaker."

Allison put her phone on the nightstand and placed it on speaker. "Okay, now what?"

"What do you have on?"

"A negligee."

"What color?"

"The purple one, your favorite."

"Take if off."

"What?" Allison didn't think she heard him right.

"Take...It...Off." He added for good measure. "Panties too."

Allison paused for a moment, then relented. "Okay."

"Lay down and close your eyes."

"Jack..."

"Do it."

"Okay." She liked that he was being assertive with her. It was so unlike him.

Jack could hear her as she got up onto the bed and positioned herself.

His voice lowered an octave. "I want you to touch yourself."

Allison's eyes shot back open. "You want me to do what?"

"You heard me. I want you to cum for me."

"And exactly what will you be doing?"

"Imagining I'm there with you."

So, Allison closed her eyes and did as he instructed. She thought about him, his strong hands caressing her, his soft lips kissing her, his warm breath on her neck. As her fingers maneuvered down to her breasts and past her stomach, she touched her clit and allowed her other hand to cup her breast. She breathed deeply, soft whimpers escaping her throat. As she massaged, she imagined him down on her. His tongue tasting, licking, thrusting inside of her. She added another finger and moved it inside her slit. Her heart pounded as she rubbed her button faster and faster, her moans growing louder and louder. Allison began to tremble as she reached the summit and cried out his name as she exploded.

Her breathing returning to normal, she turned her head toward the phone and could hear Jack groaning in the background. She smiled at the thought of him pleasuring himself to her. She could picture him with his hand around his long, thick shaft. Pumping with a steady rhythm, bed-sheet clenched in his other hand. It wasn't long after that she heard his sharp grunts signaling that he too had cum. She visualized the warm, thick substance flowing from him.

After a few moments he called out to her. "Alli."

"Yes, Jack." She answered softly.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Goodnight baby."

"Goodnight."

Jack rolled over onto his stomach, all energy drained from him. He had to admit that his day had ended on a high note. Allison obviously the topper. But he thought about the fact that he and Andy had bonded on another level. He realized that Andy was someone that he had come to rely on and could trust. Andy was always there when he needed him. He truly was a friend indeed.

_Next__-__Chapter__6:__A__Woman__Scorned_- Tess confronts Jack


	6. A Woman Scorned

**I do not own EUReKA. But oh how I wish I could be taken to an alternate timeline.**

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 6: A Woman Scorned

Jack had the awful feeling that today was going to be a bad day.

He woke that morning with the most painful crick in his neck he had ever felt. How he managed to end up asleep in the position he found himself in, he would never know. He slowly crawled out of bed and immediately went to the bathroom so that he could get a shower. Standing under the spray, he allowed the hot water to massage his muscles. As he stood there enjoying the its therapeutic abilities, he couldn't help but smile and think of Allison.

After their encounter on the phone last night, he fell asleep and dreamed of her. In it, he had a vision that he lay hovering over her as her body writhed in passion. He attempted to reach out and touch her, but each time he did his body floated further away. He rouse suddenly, his cock painfully swollen, thoughts of her still lingering on his mind. He attempted to roll back over and go to sleep, but was unsuccessful. Slumber only arriving once he relieved the pressure that had built up inside of him.

It also didn't help matters that today Allison wouldn't be able to meet him for their usual morning coffee. Starting the day out seeing her lovely face always put him in a good mood. In fact, he probably wouldn't be seeing much of her today at all. This morning she had to oversee the inventory of some new equipment, perform a battery of medical tests, and this afternoon, she had another meeting with Tess. He hoped for her sake that Tess had taken the time to think about their talk from the other day. He didn't care if Tess was angry with him for the rest of his life, he just wanted her and Allison to be okay again.

"SARAH, coffee." Jack called out as he headed downstairs.

"Good morning Sheriff Carter. Would you like me to make you some breakfast?"

"Uh, no thanks SARAH. I'll grab something in town."

"May I suggest you get a bran muffin or some fruit? Frankly, I'm a bit worried. I acquired a sample and analyzed your..."

Jack cut her off before she went any further. "SARAH what did I tell you about analyzing my...samples?"

"I'm sorry Sheriff Carter, I just want to make sure that you stay healthy and are taking care of yourself."

Geez he thought, she sounded like his doctor...or his mother. "Thanks SARAH, but I'll be fine."

Jack downed his coffee, took a banana to make SARAH happy, grabbed his gun belt from the coat rack and headed out the door.

In contrast to the previous one, today turned out to be quite hectic for him and Andy. Oh nothing Eureka crazy, but odd enough. In reality the problems that occurred didn't happen everyday, but when they did they were a doozy. Today they had to deal with a missing scientist who was located in his home trapped under one of his experiments, a dispute between two neighbors, a safety talk they presented at Tesla, and a runaway genetically modified chicken. He was grateful once he was able to get back to his office and sit down.

Jack looked up from the file he was working on to see Allison walk into the Sheriff's station.

"Hey." She greeted him with a coquettish grin.

"Hey you. What's up?" He was always pleased to see her, no matter the reason.

"Nothing much. Where's Andy?"

"Out on a call. Oh, by the way, how did your meeting go with Tess today?"

"Actually, it was a lot less stressful than I thought it was going to be. She at least talked to me and not at me. She even asked about the kids and wanted to know if it was okay to set up some time up to see Kevin."

"Well, that sounds like a positive step in the right direct at least."

Allison walked behind the desk, placed her hand on his cheek and pecked him on the lips. "Also, I was able to get my work done a littler earlier than planned, so I thought I'd stop by and ask if you felt like coming over tonight."

"Definitely." Jack grinned happily at the thought of spending time with them. "I just have a few more things to do here, then I'll run home, grab a shower and be right over."

Allison pushed his chair back with her foot and sat on the edge of the desk in front of him. She looked down and tugged at the front of his shirt. "When you get home, how bout you grab a uniform, something to sleep in and stay the night?"

A smile spread slowly across his face. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Okay. I'll stop, get some dinner for you, me and the kids, and a bottle of wine for the two of us."

"Ooh, that sounds nice. And since you'll be bringing dinner...I'll supply the dessert." Allison leaned in, grabbed his lapels and licked her tongue across his lips. "That's if you're a good boy." She then turned and sauntered out of the station leaving Jack sitting there with his mouth hanging open.

"Whew." Jack let out a breath and threw his head back in his chair and wondered how he could have been so lucky to have her in his life.

When he got home that evening he ran upstairs, hopped in the shower and packed an overnight bag making sure he had everything he needed to go straight from Allison's house to work tomorrow morning. On his way downstairs he met up with Jo in the kitchen.

"Hey Jo."

"Hey Carter. What are you up to tonight?" She asked while spooning ice cream into her mouth from the container she was eating out of.

"Staying over at Allison's."

"Hum." Jo raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Having a little sleepover are we? Is Kev gonna be there?"

Jack took a spoon and scooped some of her ice cream into his mouth, nodding yes in response.

"That's a pretty big step."

"Yeah I know. I mean, we try to be aware of Kevin's feelings and he seems to be okay with the situation. I mean, it's not like we've all never slept under the same roof before. But, we did decide that we should have a talk with him soon."

Jack thought back to the time he watched the kids for Allison when she was supposed to be going to a medical conference and ended up involved in that Beverly drama. The night she got back they all stayed over at his house. And most recently he had spent the night over and ate breakfast with them the next morning.

"And exactly what will you be doing tonight, or should I even ask." Jack smirked at her.

Jo looked like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Zane's coming over." Her eyes rolling skyward.

Jack opened his mouth as if he were in shock.

"I know, I know. It's just that I'm still so confused about the whole...Zane thing. But, I did take your advice and I just let it be."

"Uh huh." Jack glared at her with a look of triumph. He found it amusing that Jo could let anything, just be.

"Sheriff Carter..." SARAH interrupted their conversation, "Dr. Fontana is at the door."

Jack turned to Jo with a look of apprehension on his face.

"Shall I let her in?" SARAH asked.

"Uh, yeah SARAH. Please." Jack couldn't hide the questioning look on his face. He knew that he would have to talk to Tess eventually, but he didn't think that she would come to him, let alone show up at his house. He just naturally assumed that they would meet on neutral ground.

SARAH opened the door and Tess walked in, hands clasped together, looking a little unsure herself. "Hi Jack, Jo."

"Hi Tess. Good to see you." Jo responded, though her face clearly didn't convey the sentiment.

"You too, Jo." Her expression about as enthusiastic as Jo's was.

Jack knew that Jo and Tess had never been great friends - well in their old timeline anyway, but they were at least cordial to each other.

Jo turned and glanced at Jack, "I think I'll just head upstairs. I'll, uh, see you tomorrow." As she walked past, she gave him a look that communicated that she hoped everything would go okay.

Jack moved around to the living room and stopped about six feet away from Tess. He opened his mouth to speak, only to have her hold up her hand to halt him.

"Please Jack, don't say anything just yet. I've been driving back and forth in front of your house for the past thirty minutes before I finally managed to build up the courage to come inside. Look I won't take up much of your time, I see you're on your way out." Tess acknowledged the overnight bag Jack had in his hand.

Tess ventured in further and stopped in front of him. "I needed to talk to you...alone. Outside of your office, outside of GD, away from Allison and prying eyes." She added snidely, "I guess that's not gonna happen though. Grace told me Jo was living with you."

"Yeah."

"So I guess I wasn't good enough to move in with but she is? Are you fucking her too?"

The look on Jack's face told Tess that she had made a critical error with that statement. Before he could say anything, she held up both hands in defeat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm still a bit angry. I mean, can you blame me. I know Jo is like a sister to you."

"Yes, she is." He answered, a hint of irritation still lingering in his voice.

Tess swallowed and hesitantly began, "Jack, I want you to tell me the truth, and not the sugar coated version. And don't give me any of that, it's not you it's me, bullshit. You and I both know better. Frankly, I think you took the easy way out. I need to know why the sudden change, why the deception. I deserved better than that."

Jack was quiet for a moment, not sure how honest he should be with her, then finally spoke up. His eyes downcast from the guilt he felt thinking back to how the whole situation manifested itself. "You're right Tess, you did deserve better."

She looked at him and shook her head in confusion. "What happened between us? Was it something I did, something I said? I thought you loved me."

Jack placed his bag down and motioned toward the couch so that they could sit and talk.

"Tess I never wanted to hurt you, but I couldn't live a lie. I did love you. And I did care about you, I still do. I'm sorry I handled it the way I did. The minute I knew I wanted to end the relationship, I should have said something to you."

"So why did you even ask me to move in if you were unsure. One minute I'm prepared to start this life with you, the next I'm out in the cold. Ever since Founders Day, you've been different, you started acting strangely. Did something happen between you and Allison then? Was that the nail in the coffin?

"No. Nothing happened between us. I told you that, and it's the truth. Honestly, I don't know why I asked you to move in with me. When I realized I didn't want to anymore, I shouldn't have strung you along all that time."

Tess slide closer to Jack on the couch tears forming in her eyes. "Couldn't we have tried to work it out?"

The look on Jack's face told her that the answer was no.

Tess reached up and touched his cheek. "Jack I still love you, and I just can't turn that off. But you broke my heart. I thought we had a future together. I changed my life to be with you."

In the back of his mind, Jack thought about when Tess told him about the job in Australia. They had only been dating a short time, still he was upset that she never even considered him a factor.

"Tess I never forced you to stay."

"I know you didn't. You were willing to try a long distance relationship. I chose to stay, it was my decision."

"Tess you're a wonderful person, you're brilliant, and we had fun, but ultimately we just weren't right for each other."

"Why did you make love to me if you wanted to break up with me then? I knew something was wrong. It was like you didn't even want to be there. Was that my parting gift, a goodbye screw?"

Jack thought back to the last night that he and Tess made love. He was still confused about what he wanted to do. In the old timeline if Tess had agreed to stay, maybe they would have still been together, maybe not. Showing up in the new Eureka having finally kissed Allison, he had new hope for the two of them. Allison obviously felt something too, because when he told her that Tess was here in this timeline and they were still together, he could see the hurt and disappointment on her face.

So the night he made love to Tess, he wasn't sure if he was trying to ease her fears or his. She was suspicious of his recent behavior so when she wanted to make love...he faked it. He had a feeling she knew that his heart wasn't in it.

"Tess when I made love to you, I wasn't trying to be cruel and it wasn't out of pity. I had a feeling the end was near and I wanted us to have one final special moment. I did it because I wanted to."

Tess stood up vexed, a look of cold fury in her eyes. "Well, it was cruel of you. I put everything into this relationship. I put my career on hold for you and you crushed me. You know Jack, you try to come off as this great guy that everybody loves, but you know what, you're just like every other man. Believe it or not, you can be a bastard too. Actually, you're pretty pathetic if you ask me. Pining away for Allison. You couldn't have her so you thought you'd go after the next best thing. Were you hoping to make her jealous by dating her best friend. You son of a bitch, you used me."

Jack had had enough, now he was pissed. He rose from the couch and faced her head on. "I didn't use you Tess. I wanted to be with you because I liked you. But you know what, lets not pretend that we were a match made in heaven okay. You weren't exactly the nicest person to deal with either. From the day you stepped foot in Eureka, you never could understand why they would hire me. Hell, you figure I'm certainly not as smart as anyone here. You laughed at my ideas, you belittled me, you had way of making me feel small."

There were many occasions where Jack could pinpoint how she ridiculed him. The one that stuck out in his mind the most went back to the zombie outbreak incident at GD. Fargo mocked his methods of using his every man logic to continually save the day. Tess agreed with his assessment and Jack would never admit it, but it hurt his feelings for her to think of him like that. That certainly had a lot to do with him deciding to end things.

"That's not true." Tess shook her head in disagreement.

"It is and you know it. You look me in the eye and tell me that if you had to introduce me to all your brilliant friends, you wouldn't feel like you had to defend your decision to be with me." Hands on his hips, Jack looked her square in the eye.

"I..." She stuttered, at a lost for words.

"Yeah, just like I thought."

Tess inched closer and moved her hands up to caress his face, "Jack, I never meant to make you feel like you were less than me, and if I did I'm sorry. But, we could have worked it out. Don't you still want me, couldn't you still love me."

Jack grasped her wrists and slowly slid them from his face, his eyes relaying the message that he no longer wanted her. "It's too late for us."

"I just have to know Jack. You could have had anyone. Why her? She's my best friend. Why couldn't you just tell me you wanted to be with her?"

"Tess there were lots of reasons. I didn't want to hurt you. I knew it took a lot for both of us to enter into this relationship. I didn't want you to think that you were some sort of consolation prize. Besides, I didn't know how Allison felt about me. Maybe it was a little selfish on my part but I couldn't let you know what I was feeling...I wasn't even completely honest with myself."

"Goddammit Jack, would you stop trying to be nice. It's to late to spare my feelings. You don't get to be the good guy here."

Jack braced himself for what he had to do. "Okay Tess, if you want me to blunt, then I will."

"You want to know why her. It just is. Yes, I did love you...once, but I'm in love Allison. I always have been and I always will be. The first time I laid eyes on her I new she was the one. You call me pathetic...so be it. But for everything we've been through, it didn't change the fact that I wanted to be with her. I tried to move on, but deep down I couldn't. I wanted to make it work between the two of us, I really did. The truth is, even if Allison weren't in the picture, you and I wouldn't have worked out. We just weren't meant to be.

Tess stood there stunned. She wanted the truth, well here it was. She plopped down onto the couch crestfallen, mouth agape after Jack's revelation.

She looked up at him, "My God, you do love her."

"I do." Slowly shaking his head in affirmation.

Jack let out a deep breath and sat next to her. "I am sorry Tess. You wanted the truth...there it is. All I ask is that you don't take it out on the kids. They're innocent in all of this. They love you and they miss you. If you want to blame someone, blame me." He searched her eyes hoping that she would be sensitive to the fact that Kevin and Jenna wanted to see her.

She looked wounded, "I would never take it out on the kids. You know that. I love them."

They both sat in silence unsure of what to say to each other. Eventually Tess got up and headed for the door. Before she left out, she turned to face him.

"Jack...you don't regret the time we shared together, do you?" Hope hung in her voice.

"Of course not. Tess, you'll always hold a special place in my heart."

With that she gave a weak smile, turned and left.

Jack arrived at Allison's and sat in his jeep trying to compose himself before he ventured inside. They had both had their turn to speak to Tess, now it was up to her if she wanted to repair the relationship between the three of them. He would tell Allison about his talk with Tess later, but for now he wanted to enjoy the evening with her and the kids.

"Hey, where is everybody." He yelled as he entered the house.

"Hey Jack." Kevin called out as he came running down the stairs. "Mom's upstairs giving Jenna a bath. What'd bring to eat?" Kevin walked over, took the boxes from Jack and began rummaging through the containers of food Vincent had packed for them.

"Chinese."

"Cool. Hey, there's a game on tonight, you wanna check it out."

"Yeah, let me just put my stuff upstairs, say hi to your mom and I'll be right back down." Jack added for good measure as he headed up the stairs, "And, don't start eating without us."

"But, I'm hungry." Kevin yelled back and slumped in the chair. "Hurry up."

After dropping his things off in Alli's room he went down to the hall bath and peeked in on the two of them. He warmed at the site of Allison gently lathering Jenna's hair.

"There's my girls. Hey Jenna."

Allison turned her head from her kneeled position to see Jack standing in the doorway, "Hi."

Jenna responded to Jack by happily slapping her hands up and down in the water causing some to splash over the rim of the tub. Allison laughed as Jenna sent water spraying in every direction. "Do you see the effect you have on her."

Jack shrugged his shoulders, "Well, what can I say, women love me."

"Uh huh, you just make sure you don't love them all back."

"Speaking of...uh, Tess came by my place tonight."

Allison head snapped around a look of concern on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Jack placed his hands on his hips in his usual fashion. Allison knew he did this mainly when he was deep in thought. "Look, why don't you finish up here, I brought dinner, we'll eat and talk about it later, okay?"

"Okay."

Jack bent over and kissed the top of her head then went downstairs to set the table.

After Allison finished bathing Jenna, she put her in her pajamas and brought her down so that they could all eat. Surprisingly Kevin waited for them before he started. As they sat there enjoying their dinner, Allison was overcome with a sense of tranquility. The four of them talking, laughing, so comfortable with each other. It was as if they had been doing this for years.

They eventually moved to the family room so Kevin and Jack could watch the game. Allison took Jenna upstairs read her a book and put her to bed while Jack and Kevin enjoyed some bonding time. Kevin eventually went up to bed so Allison opened the wine for them. They sat cuddling on the couch, his arm wrapped around her shoulder as she tucked her body close to his.

Jack told her everything about his conversation with Tess. Well, almost everything. He did leave out the part about Tess asking if he still loved her. Jack didn't want to create anymore tension or hostility between the two of them. Overall, he was glad that they had finally talked and hoped they could put this part behind them.

That night when he and Allison made love, it was...different. It was quieter somehow, more serene. They lay face to face, gazing into each other eyes, bodies intertwined. They were gentle with each other that night. Jack spent time kissing her softly, stroking her hair, caressing her curves, and tenderly running his hands up and down her side. Allison in turn massaged his chest, combed her fingers though his hair, affectionately nipped at his earlobes, and ran her fingernails along his back with a light feathery touch.

They felt more connected that night then they ever had before. It was as if all the drama they had been dealing with had ended at last. They culminated the event with this one act. It only made them stronger, more in tune with each other. It reaffirmed the fact that they wanted to be together, needed to be together, were meant to be together. They did not know what tomorrow would bring, but for right now, this was where they wanted to be.

_Next - Chapter 7: Seeing Is Believing _


	7. Seeing Is Believing

**I do not own EUReKA. That should tell you how exciting my life is. **

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 7: Seeing Is Believing

Tess stared up at the ceiling from her bed, a million thoughts running through her head. She had been restless the whole night and now lay motionless, contemplating the conversation she had with Jack yesterday. She wasn't sure what she should do now. After speaking with them both, she was even more conflicted about the whole situation. Jack and Allison seemed very sincere in their apologies to her and deep down she new they never meant to hurt her. They just weren't the malicious type. Was she blinded by what went on between them? Intentionally ignoring the cues she didn't want to see? If she thought about it, they always seemed to have a unique connection. If she was truthful with herself, she had know all along.

As she lay there, she replayed those incidents over in her mind. There was the time she and Jack disappeared after stepping on H.G.'s machine, the one that caused the issue with the p-brain waves. He told her that Allison would stop the machine because she would be able to feel him, and to Tess's amazement, she did. When she sat with Jack on his stakeout, he showed concern for her, knowing that she had been under a lot of stress. Tess casually mentioned to him that it was probably the reason why Allison liked him so much. When he turned to her, she saw the look in his eyes, the one of hope.

Thinking back, Allison also hinted at her interest towards Jack. When she asked Allison if something was going on between the two of them, she dismissed her. When Allison asked her about the date they went on to stargaze, and questioned Tess as to if she liked Jack, Tess saw the look of sadness and disappointment on her face when she said yes. Oh, there were many more occasions she could pinpoint, but in the end, they all painted the same picture.

Tess knew she had to take a hard look at herself and determine her role in all of this too. Yes, she did love Jack. So why was she so hesitant to move in with him in the beginning. Initially she didn't even tell him about the job offer in Australia. Contrary to what she told him yesterday, when she thought about her future, she couldn't clearly see him as a part of it. No, she never meant to make him feel stupid, she knew he was brilliant in his own right. He had an ability to read people like no other, and could make sense of things where there was none.

When she thought about they each expressed their feelings toward the other to her, she had to admit she was a bit jealous. Not of them so much, but of the fact that you could love someone so much and be so sure. She didn't think she had ever felt that way. Sure she had been in love before, but would she be so willing to make the sacrifices and devote the time to the relationship like they had. To tell the truth, she did miss Allison...a lot. She missed talking to her, laughing with her, sharing their experiences together. She really didn't want to lose that.

Tess rolled over, sat on the edge of the bed, placed her hands under her chin and sighed. No, her heart hadn't completely healed, that would take time. It had been a tumultuous week after all. She felt as if she were going through the seven stages of grief in rapid succession. There was the shock of finding out her best friend and ex-boyfriend were in a relationship. The denial in believing that they had not started a relationship until after she had gone. The anger that they kept the secret from her for so long. The bargaining with Jack, asking if he could still love her and repair what they had together. The guilt she felt herself in that maybe she could have saved the relationship by immediately accepting Jack's offer to move in. The depression she was feeling now, knowing that what they had was real. She had to wonder though if she would make it to that final stage. The one of acceptance and hope.

But, there were no more tears, none of that gut wrenching pain, no more anger. Frankly she felt a bit numb. These last few days in town she just wanted to relax and enjoy herself. She knew she would have to face them eventually, but there was something she had to do first. So she got up, got dressed and left to seek out the one person she really wanted to talk to.

Across town Jack and Allison were busy getting their day started.

"Would you stop it." Allison admonished Jack jokingly, "We're supposed to be getting ready for work."

"We are. I just want to make sure I didn't miss any spots."

That morning they got up a little earlier so that they would both have time to shower, get the kids ready, eat breakfast and drop Kevin off at school. When Allison went to get in the shower, Jack decided to join her, in his words to "conserve water."

Allison poked holes his theory. "Eureka doesn't have that problem. Everything here is recycled so there is no need to worry about a drought anytime soon."

"Well, you never know. I think we should just play it safe."

Jack enjoyed taking his time lathering her up. He could spend hours making sure he cleaned every spot. He dropped the bath sponge and began using his hands to massage her. He pressed up against her and reached around to knead her breasts. He could tell she was getting excited by the way her nipples hardened. The blood rushing to them caused the brown nubs to darken. To his delight she did not push his hands away.

Allison moaned her response to him. "Jack...we don't have time. The nanny will be here soon and we have to get the kids ready."

"Uh huh." Jack mumbled his answer while concentrating on sucking her neck. He knew she didn't really want him to stop so he lowered his hand to her center and stroked her mons.

"Oh!" Allison was taken by surprise and her body immediately responded to him. Her answers to him now broken by deep breaths. "You didn't get enough last night?"

"Allie, I can never get enough of you."

Allison reached between them and began stroking his cock. He thought how for someone with such delicate hands, they sure were powerful. She held him with a firm grip even though the suds and water made him slippery to the touch. Jack spread her lips and slid two fingers inside her opening as she reached up with her free hand and grabbed the back of his neck. Her cries of pleasure excited him, causing an increase of blood flow to his pulsating member. As much fun as he was having playing with her, he knew they didn't have much time, so he took matters into his own hand.

Jack removed his hands and spun her around. He lifted her up so that they were eye level and guided her legs around his waist. He entered her with ease, the water acting as a lubricant. Allison locked her ankles around his back as he pressed her up against the cold tile wall. He vigorously pumped inside of her over and over again as she raised and lowered her body in unison. Jack lowered his hands and cupped her ass so that he could gain more leverage. Leaning her back up against the wall as she clawed at his back, he didn't think he could last much longer.

Jack captured her lips and kissed her long and deep. The kiss broken only by his shallow breathing as he slowed his momentum. Allison knew that he was about to cum but was trying to delay it's arrival. She wanted it to last but couldn't help it...he felt so good. She couldn't just sit and do nothing so, she tightened her grip around his waist, and rubbed up against his abdomen with her clitoris, then began contracting her vaginal muscles around him.

"Allie, I...can't...hold on." Jack's body shook uncontrollably as he came inside of her. He held her there for a few moments until he was able to regain his composure, his head resting on her shoulder. When she unwrapped her legs and went to move, he stopped her.

Jack looked at her with determination in his eyes, "Where do you think you're going? We're not done yet."

"Jack, it's okay. We don't have time."

Jack stared at her and didn't say a word. He knelt down, and with the spray from the shower head splashing on his back, he took her in his mouth. He attacked her with ferocity. There was no way he would let her leave this shower without having an orgasm. Jack lifted her leg and placed it over his shoulder so that he could get a better angle. She grabbed his hair in her hand, closed her eyes and let him take control. When she climaxed, it was like the rush of a waterfall and he took all of it in.

Jack rose slowly and kissed each spot as he ascended.

Still a little weak from the experience, Allison called out to him. "Jack."

"Mmm huh." His mouth firmly pressed against her collarbone.

Eyes closed, her head still spinning, she relished the feel of his lips against her skin. "You...are...amazing."

Jack smiled and chuckled, his mouth still against her skin. "I know."

They eventually made it out of the shower. Allison got Jenna ready and headed downstairs. She made a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and oatmeal for them.

"No bacon?" Kevin inquired as he sat at the table and looked at his plate.

"I think you've had your quota for the week." Allison turned from the fridge and handed him a bowl. "Here eat your oatmeal."

"Belch! Why does Jack get to have bacon?"

"I'm not Jack's mother."

When Allison turned her back to grab the orange juice, Jack handed Kevin a piece of his bacon.

"I saw that." Allison called out with her back still to them.

She placed a bowl of oatmeal in front of Jenna, fixed a plate for herself, sat at the table with them and playfully gave Jack and Kevin the evil eye. As they were finishing their breakfast, Allison thought that this would be a good time to broach the subject of Jack spending the night with Kevin.

"Kevin, I...we want to talk to you about something." Eyeing Jack, Allison was a little apprehensive, not sure how to start the conversation.

"I hope you know Jack and I are committed to this relationship. I know you were worried in the beginning about Jack hurting me and your friendship with him ending if we didn't work out."

Kevin looked between the two of them a blank look on his face.

Allison turned to Jack as he started to speak, "You know I love your mom, and I want you to know I love you and Jenna too. We know you're okay with us seeing each other, but we never asked you how you felt about me staying over."

Allison looked back and faced Kevin. "Kevin you know I always want you to be honest with me, so tell us what you're thinking."

Kevin was quiet for a while and they were afraid that his response was one they didn't want to hear.

"Well, I'm okay with it I guess. I mean, I know what goes on between adults. I've already taken Human Anatomy and Sexuality at Tesla."

Jack didn't want to know how evasive the class was, knowing that Zoë had taken the same course not to long ago.

"Just, sometimes can we stay over at Jack's house. SARAH has access to every game ever made and she always gives me hints on how to beat them."

"That's fine with me." Jack answered.

Allison smiled at her little man. In between that awkward faze of going from boy to man.

Kevin got up from the table and grabbed the last piece of bacon from Jack's plate. "Hey Jack, can you take me to school?"

"Sure, buddy."

Kevin walked over tapped Jenna on the nose and kissed his mom on the cheek. "See ya mom. Love ya."

"Bye baby."

Allison walked them to the door and kissed Jack goodbye then waited for the nanny.

When Tess arrived at GD she went straight down to her temporary lab to finish a few things and pick up some paperwork she wanted to take back with her. She was excited that she was able to implement the Telescope Array's technology for use with the Astreaus mission and looked forward to sharing the information with her crew back in Australia. Although going into space was never a dream of hers, she was thrilled. She would have access to mission updates, scientific findings and go down in history as one of the Astreaus mission team members.

Tess looked around to make sure she had everything she needed. Secure in the fact she left nothing behind, she ventured off to find the one person she needed to speak to. When she arrived at Henry's office, Grace was there with him. Tess always thought that Grace and Henry made an amazing couple. They worked well together, they never seemed to disagree about anything, a match made in heaven.

"Hi Grace, Henry."

"Hi Tess." They answered in unison.

"Henry can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course you can talk to me."

Grace looked at Tess then to Henry then excused herself. "I'll see you later honey."

Henry waited until Grace left out before addressing Tess. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm not sure where to start so I'm just going to ask. I was just wondering if you knew?"

"About?" Henry looked at her with his poker-face. Damn he was good she thought.

"Come on Henry. You and Jack are best friends. You know what I'm talking about."

"Tess, I'm not sure how comfortable I am talking about this with you."

"Henry, I've already spoken to Allison and Jack and they've told me their version of events. I just want to hear it from someone besides them. I want to know if it's true." Tess looked at him and searched his eyes. "Henry, we are friends, aren't we?"

"Of course we are."

"Please tell me...did you know?"

Henry looked at Tess and sighed. "I've know for a long time that Jack and Allison had feelings for each other."

"Well, it seems that everybody knew but me."

"Sit down, let me tell you something about my friend Jack." Henry gestured toward the couch and sat next to her.

"Jack is loyal, honest, brave, and one of the best friends I've ever had. He would never deliberately hurt anyone. When Jack first came to Eureka, he felt a little out of place. People here didn't know how to take him. Here he was not a scientist, unaware of the things we do, always attempting to bring a little fun into our lives." Henry thought back to Jack and his idea of starting a softball league. It didn't turn out exactly how he planned, but they all did have fun.

"But you know what, these people grew to love him. He cares about this town, it's his home. A lesser man would have left a long time ago. Always putting himself in danger, away from his family, keeping a secret this big. I believe the one thing that has kept him here, kept him focused and looking toward the future, was Allison."

Tess listened intently to Henry. If she were someone looking in from the outside at Jack and Allison's relationship and had not been a participant, it all seemed like some wonderful fairytale.

"From the day Jack meet her, he was in love. It was written all over his face. Jack's been hurt before and I think the reason he never tried to pursue Allison vigorously was that he thought he wasn't good enough for her, not smart enough. Yes he dated, he tried to move on, but she never strayed far from his heart or his thoughts. So when Jack decided to end things with you, his motive wasn't because he was seeing Allison. It was because he knew that he couldn't completely give himself to you. Not while he was still in love with her."

Henry reached over and gently patted Tess's hand. "Believe me Tess, it killed him to hurt you. But I want you to know that I believe they were meant to be together."

Tess closed her eyes and exhaled. She knew Henry would never lie to her. It just wasn't in his nature. "Thank you Henry."

Tess left out, recounting the things Henry told her. She wasn't sure what her reaction should be, but honestly she felt...okay. Tess knew at that moment that she wanted to speak to Jack and Allison again. For now though, she really needed to get something to eat.

As she reached Café Diem, opened the door and walked inside, she stopped in her tracks. Over at a corner table she saw them. Jack had Jenna on his lap, Allison sat next to him gently rubbing his back, and Kevin was across from her, facing the door. They all looked so happy as they sat there eating dinner. If someone who didn't know them walked in on this scene, they would think they were already a family. Then it hit her, they were.

"Tess!" Kevin yelled out and ran over once he saw her and gave her a big hug. "Mom told me you were in town. Where have you been? Why haven't you come by to see me?"

"I'm sorry Kev, I've just been really busy."

Kevin tugged at her sleeve and pulled her over to their table. Jack, Allison and Tess all looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

"Hello." She greeted them both.

"Hi Tess." They answered simultaneously.

Kevin gestured toward the empty chair. "Come on sit down."

"Um, I can't, I have some work to finish up. I just came in to grab something to eat."

Tess saw the look of disappointment on Kevin's face. "How bout I come over tomorrow? That's if it's okay with your mom." Tess turned to Allison, a questioning look in her eyes.

Allison smiled in return. "That would be great."

"Okay then, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Dr. Fontana, your order is ready." Vincent called out.

Tess walked over and picked up her package. Before she left out, she turned and glanced back at the four of them. She was glad that Kevin and Jenna both had someone in their lives who obviously cared and loved them as much as Jack did. Though she tried, she couldn't help but smile at the site of them together.

_Conclusion - Chapter 8: That's What Friends Are For_


	8. That's What Friends Are For

**I do not own EUReKA. Something has definitely gone wrong.**

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies

Chapter 8: Thats What Friends Are For

Jack was grateful that the weekend was almost here. The one good thing about having a robot Deputy was that Andy could handle the shift work by himself without any breaks. Thanks to him, Jack couldn't remember the last time he was required to work on a Saturday or Sunday. Unless there was an emergency, he spent most of his weekend relaxing and enjoying himself.

Saturday afternoon, he and Allison planned to spend time with the kids. They'd probably take a drive, then stop somewhere and get lunch. That night Kevin would be staying over at Dre's house so he and Allison were going to leave Jenna with the nanny and head out to a movie. They always tried to keep a date night for just the two of them. With the pressures from work, the responsibility that lay on both their shoulders, and family obligations, this was an opportunity for them to focus on each other. Tonight though, they were going to spend a quiet night in. They knew Tess would be coming over to spend time with Kevin and felt it was important that they be there in case she was ready to talk.

This afternoon though, he was meeting Allison, Grace and Henry for lunch at Café Diem. It was a regular couples thing they did typically twice a week. Jack and Henry still found time to get together and have their "man" time. What they'd usually end up doing was watch sports, have a pickup game of hoops and play chess or cards. When Jack and Henry were bonding, Allison took the opportunity to hangout with Grace. She told Jack another reason she was thankful for this timeline was that she had become great friends with her. But, more often than not Jack was with his "family." No more bachelor days for him. And to tell the truth...he loved it.

Jack walked in and saw the three of them already seated at a table where they appeared to be engrossed in heavy conversation. "Hey guys." Jack pulled out the chair next to Allison and kissed her on the cheek. "This looks intense. What are you guys talking about?"

"Tess." Allison gestured across the table, "Apparently she went to talk to Henry yesterday."

Jack eyed Henry, dumbstruck. "She...she spoke to you?"

"Uh huh. She wanted to know about the two of you." Henry preceded to go into detail about the conversation he had with Tess yesterday.

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad." Jack shrugged his shoulders, knowing that is could have much gone worse than that.

"I think she realized that the two of you had no intention of hurting her. I'm sure she's still going through a lot emotionally but, she seems to be doing okay."

"I have to admit, I know how she feels." Grace offered her opinion regarding the situation. "There she was suddenly presented with a different person – unbeknownst to her of course. I know you couldn't tell her what happened, but to Tess, nothing changed. As you know it took work on both our parts for Henry and I to get to a place where we trust other. I am glad he did tell me though. He may not know much about the other timeline, but I know, and he's still my Henry." Grace smiled happily at Henry.

Henry reached over and took Grace's hand in his. "I love you."

Eyes alight, Grace tightened her grip around his hand, "I love you too."

The rest of lunch they chatted about nothing in particular. It was agreed upon that when they dinned together, no work talk was allowed. When they were done, they all headed back to their respective locations. Luckily, the rest of the day was relatively quiet for Jack. He finished up some minor work and briefed Andy on a few open cases he was working on. When he was done for the day he went straight home, showered, and left for Allison's.

By the time he arrived, she was already busy preparing dinner.

"Wow. You're looking casually fine this evening."

"Why thank you." Allison raised up on her toes and pecked him on the lips.

She always looked good to him, no matter what she had on – especially when it was nothing at all. Tonight she wore black hip hugger jeans, a white scoop neck shirt, and her hair was up in a pony tail. She had removed the makeup she'd worn that day, and to him she was still gorgeous. A feat most women couldn't pull off.

"Yum, that smells good. What are we having?"

"Shrimp Fra Diavolo. It's pasta with shrimp thats a little saucy, and a little spicy."

Jack playfully slapped her bottom, "Hum, just like you. Need any help?"

Allison smiled broadly and swatted at his chest, "No, but you can set the table."

Jack did as he was told and once his task was complete, he insisted on helping her anyway – if you can call it that. Jack sidled up behind her and took hold of the wrist that was stirring, mimicking her actions. With his free hand he massaged the side of her thigh.

"Is this your idea of helping?" She inquired.

Jack smiled smugly, "Yes. Yes, it is." He then tilted his head and nipped at the back of her neck.

"Don't start." She scolded him, even though she couldn't help but giggle.

Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed. "But I can't help myself."

Just then footsteps could be heard as Kevin came lumbering downstairs, interrupting the scene. "Don't you two ever quit?" He asked as he rolled his eyes, hopped on the couch and turned on the t.v.

"Don't get comfortable, dinner's ready. Bring your sister to the table." Allison instructed.

Kevin reluctantly got up, took Jenna out of her playpen and placed her in her high chair. As they sat there eating, Jack wondered if there was anything that Allison couldn't do well. She was an amazing mom, a brilliant scientist, a loyal friend, and an exceptional lover. Whatever she did, it was with done with great zeal and passion.

After dinner, Kevin, a bit dejected, went upstairs to finish his homework, then play video games. They had assumed that Tess would have arrived by now, but it appeared that she wasn't going to show. Allison took Jenna up for a bath and put her to bed while Jack put the dishes away. Once Jenna was asleep, Allison joined him who by that time was lounging on the couch, riveted by a hockey game. Allison grabbed a book she was in the middle of reading, sat between his legs, and lay back against his chest.

Jack enveloped her in his arms and pressed his lips against the top of her head. "You know what?"

Allison eyed him suspiciously, "No, what?"

"You are absolutely amazing. You take my breath away."

Allison blushed, obviously taken by his complement.

In usual Jack fashion he added sarcastically, "I think I'll keep you."

Allison couldn't help but laugh and elbowed him in the ribs. Just as Jack tightened his grip around her, there was a knock at the door.

Allison rose from the couch and opened it, a surprised look on her face. "Tess!"

"I hope it's not to late." A sheepish grin on a face.

"No, of course not. Come in, come in."

"Hi, Tess." Jack stood from the couch and greeted her.

"Hi Jack. I promised Kevin I'd come by and see him, so here I am." Jack noticed that Tess looked quite nervous.

Allison clasped her hands in thanks. "He was hoping you'd show up. He's up in his room. He'll be so glad you came."

"I couldn't let him down. But if it's alright I'd like to talk to the two of you first?"

Allison looked at Jack and they nodded in unison. "Sure. We'd like that."

Allison lead them to the table, Jack next to her. Tess sat across from them, placing her purse directly in front of her, almost as a protective barrier.

She began slowly, "I guess there's no way easy way to start, so I'll just say what I have to say. I've had time to think about everything that's happened this week. I did some soul-searching, and frankly I was shocked, confused, and extremely hurt to say the least."

Feeling a bit ashamed, Allison lowered her eyes. Jack noticed her movement from the corner of his eye and reached under the table to hold her hand so that she would know he was by her side.

Tess continued, "I know that you never wanted to hurt me...either of you. I guess by keeping the secret you thought that it was the best thing to do. I know you wanted to tell me in person, but you should have told me as soon as you two were sure. That's not how you treat a friend."

"I know Tess and we're really sorry." Allison pleaded with her, hoping that she knew she was being sincere.

"I know you are but, it's going to take me a while to be completely okay with this, but I know that I'll get there. Right now it's still a bit raw. There is one thing I'd like from the two of you though."

Allison jumped at the opportunity to square things with her, "Of course Tess, anything."

Tess squinted and pointed her finger between the two of them, a smirk on her face, "Don't ever lie to me again."

"We won't." Allison spun quickly and looked at Jack, who shook his in agreement. "That's a promise." She added, beaming from ear to ear.

Tess got up from the table and moved toward the stairs. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going up to spend time with my godson."

They watched her head upstairs and into Kevin's room. Allison immediately turned to him, a tear sliding down her cheek. Tears not out of sorrow, but joy. Joy that she had her friend back. They sat quietly for some time, Allison wrapped in his arms before Jack looked down to her.

"Hey, I'm gonna go. I think you two need to spend some time together."

Allison appreciated the fact that he was so thoughtful and giving during this difficult time. He was so good to her. "Thanks."

Jack put on his shoes and headed for the door. "Call me later?"

"I will." She reached up and kissed him tenderly.

As he passed under the door frame Allison grasped his forearm, pulled him back inside and hugged him tightly. She stared up intently into his eyes, and spoke softly to him, "I love you."

Jack placed his hand on her cheek and lovingly stroked it with his thumb. "I love you too."

Allison closed the door behind him and could hear Kevin upstairs regaling Tess with all the adventures he'd had since she left town. Allison was glad that they had reconnected. Tess was such a positive influence in his life and one of the people he looked up to. Tess talked to Kevin for about an hour before she emerged from his room to meet Allison in the kitchen.

Tess scanned the room, "Where's Jack?"

"He went home. He thought we needed some girl time." Allison looked to her apprehensively.

"I'd like that." Tess stood there a bit awkwardly, not sure what to do next.

An idea popped into Allison's mind, "How about some ice cream? I have your favorite. Sea Salt Caramel Macadamia Nut." Allison removed it from the freezer and temptingly waved it if front of her. A definite benefit of living in a town like Eureka, is that with someone like Vincent running the place, he could create anything your heart desired.

"Ah, you do know me well." Beaming, Tess ran to the cupboard and gathered up a bowl and two spoons. "Actually, I brought something too."

Tess reached into her purse and placed on the kitchen table a small purple box.

Allison's eyes widened in disbelief. "No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did." Tess gleefully opened the box exposing a sixteen piece gourmet exotic truffle collection.

Allison thought back to when they first discovered the luscious treats. Fresh out of college they decided to go on an adventure and on a layover found these at an airport gift shop. "You didn't forget. I guess you know me pretty well too."

"That's what friends are for." Tess added, grinning from ear to ear.

As they sat at the table enjoying their treat, they slowly began to talk about what each of them had been up too. They chatted about old times and laughed about some of the trouble they used to get into. No one would believe it, but Allison has a wicked fun side.

"Al, I really miss this. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"I want you to know that I understand why you'd choose him and why he chose you. I know now that he could never have truly been mine. I couldn't be what he wanted as long as he wanted you. I know he's a good man. You're in love, I see that now and I want you to be happy. If anyone deserves a bit of happiness, it's you."

Allison leap to her feet and she and Tess embraced each other in a hug. "Al you're my best friend. No, you're more than that, you're my sister and I don't want to lose that. I love you."

"I love you too and don't worry, you won't."

They sat a while longer before Tess got ready to leave for the Inn. Tomorrow would be her last day in town and she needed to get packed and ready to leave.

As Tess walked out the door, she turned to Allison, "Hey, I'll be back after the Astreaus crew returns. What say we plan something?"

"How about when you return, you stay with me?"

"Definitely. Let's keep in touch, huh Al?"

"Definitely." Allison waved goodbye and shut the door.

Once it was closed behind her, she leaned back and shut her eyes. A feeling of satisfaction spreading throughout. Allison checked in on Kevin before she headed up to bed. He had fallen asleep with a comic book in his hand, as usual. She kissed his forehead and pulled the covers up over him and peeked in on Jenna who was sleeping soundly. The house was quiet so she decided to have a little me time and jumped in the tub for a soak. She lay her PDA on the edge of the tube and called Jack.

"Hi."

"Hi." He answered, a bit groggy.

"I'm sorry baby. Did I wake you?"

"No, no, no. I was waiting for you to call. How'd it go?"

"Jack, I think we're going to be okay."

He could hear the smile in her voice. "What are you doing now?"

"I'm taking a bubble bath."

"Well, you deserve it. I won't keep you. You go ahead and enjoy yourself. Get some rest okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight baby."

"Goodnight."

Allison exhaled and slid further down into the tub.

The next morning as Tess headed out of town, she couldn't help but smile as she passed the sign reading leaving Eureka. She was sad to go, but ultimately glad she had come. Tess realized she was stronger than she thought. She was determined not to dwell, to look forward and not back. It was time for her to move on and fill her life with all things she wanted. Her friendship with Allison was too important to her to abandon. Life doesn't always go the way you expect it. She was confident there was someone out their for her too. At last, she had reached the stage of acceptance and hope.

_Thank you to everyone who submitted a review. I appreciate your comments and encouragement. I hope you enjoyed my version of events. I know I took some liberties, but I think thats the fun of writing fan fiction. Please feel free to review, even if you have already. (anonymous reviews excepted) _

_Be on the lookout for my next stories: _

_(One Act) Date–Date: Jack officially takes Allison out on a real date._

_(Chapter) I Do Over Again: Are Jack and Allison destined to be together? In an alternate timeline lets suppose Nathan survives, he proposes to Allison, and Kevin is not autistic. How do Jack and Allison deal with their feelings toward each other?_


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